Optimizing Food Storage Practices to Ensure the Quality of Cold Kitchen Dishes in the Hospitality Industry

This study explores optimizing food storage practices to maintain the quality of cold kitchen dishes in the hospitality industry, focusing on optimal standards, staff knowledge levels, implementation benefits, and constraints. Employing a qualitative descriptive narrative approach, data were collected from seven purposively sampled cold kitchen staff through Google Forms and on-site observations and analyzed via exploratory review, reduction, categorization, and narrative synthesis. The findings reveal a youthful workforce (mostly 20-25 years old) with varied tenure and diploma education, demonstrating strong consensus on standards such as IoT sensors aligned with ISO 22000, FIFO methods, 85-95% humidity, and 0-4°C refrigeration to prevent cross-contamination and extend shelf life. Knowledge was adequate, but training impacts were mixed, influenced by language barriers and attitudes according to the Theory of Planned Behavior. Benefits included 10-20% reduced post-harvest losses, enhanced guest satisfaction, circular economy alignment, and competitive advantages. Constraints included outdated infrastructure, high workloads, supply chain disruptions, economic barriers, and technology adoption complexities via the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. These insights advance sustainable hospitality practices by highlighting actionable strategies for ensuring quality assurance.