Sodexo Distance Dietetic Internship

Name: Julianne Borba

System Analysis Research Project

Research can be conducted on anything that involves identifying a problem, forming a
hypothesis, collecting data, and reaching a conclusion based on the analysis of the data. For
this project you will be conducting research on a system that causes a problem or
inefficiency in your food service rotation.

Identify the Problem

Identify a system, situation, or process that does not seem to be working properly or most
efficiently. Or you may choose a problem that you or your preceptor has identified. Do not
assume you know the cause of the problem until you have collected data / information and
analyzed the problem.

The salad bar contributes a huge portion of the CSAA food services
waste, largely due to insufficient utilization of salad bar over
production/weekly leftovers.

Do Background Research
This would be similar to conducting a literature search or needs assessment, except you will
be doing some informal questioning, possibly looking at past documents, or informally
observing.

After speaking with the food service manager at CSAA, I learned

that waste watch is becoming of more and more importance as a
budget minimizing tool. He spoke of the amount of waste thrown
away from the salad bar alone on a weekly basis so I decided to
analyze the salad bar production and waste to see where
improvements can be made.

Develop a Hypothesis
After completing your background research, what do you think is the cause of the problem?
Write it in the form of your hypothesis. It should include something you can measure to see
if your hypothesis is true or not.

The salad bar is full of quality food items that are thrown out each
week rather than repurposed for future dishes.

Collect Data

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Decide on what data you need to collect based on your hypothesis. As you go along, you
may find that you need to collect other data to support what you originally thought,
especially if your original data collection does not reveal the cause of the problem. Present
the collected data as a table to include in the summary report. Use Microsoft excel to
develop the data table.

The data attached was collected and recorded on an excel

spreadsheet throughout the week. The chart demonstrates the
amount of each salad bar food item put in on a daily basis (in
pounds). Beneath, the daily pre-production food scraps were
measured and documented (in pounds) as well as the weekly
leftover food waste. The percent of food (pounds) put into the salad
bar during the week was compared to the percent of food (pounds)
wasted (in both pre-production scraps and leftovers).

Analyze the Data and Draw a Conclusion

Once you have collected your data, look at it carefully. Draw a flow chart or make a graph in
order to determine any trends in your data. Include data analysis chart, graph, or flow chart
in the summary for this project. Use Microsoft Excel to develop the chart or graph. Once
you have analyzed the data, draw a conclusion based on your results.

The data concluded that about 50.48% 30.5% in scraps and

19.98% in end of the week wasteof all food put into the salad bar
station per a week is thrown out). This percentage is a very high
percentage so implementing strategies to minimize this waste may
be extremely beneficial in minimizing overall food service system
waste and improving budget. Several of the food items thrown
away every Friday from the salad bar can be utilized in stocks,
sauces, soups, ect and frozen for future use.

State your Conclusion as a P-E-S Statement

The critical thinking /thought process for the nutrition care process and PES statements can
be applied to many situations. So that you have practice using this thought process, state
your conclusion in the form of a PES statement.
(Problem - related to reason/etiology as evidenced by statement about results from
data)

High amounts of food waste related to insufficient repurposing of

salad bar scraps and ingredients as evidenced by 50.48% of salad
bar food items used (lbs) becoming weekly waste.

Make a Recommendation
Based on the results of your data analysis, make a recommendation to your manager. If
there are no conclusive results showing the cause of the problem, you may need to
construct a new hypothesis and collect additional data.

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Put a plan into action on how to use as many of the salad bar
components (including food scraps) for weekly or future dishes
rather than turning them into waste. Some suggestions/strategies
are listed below:
-food scraps (corn cobs, carrot tops, pepper tops, celery ends,
asparagus ends, ect can be used for stocks
-Many of the food items (spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini,
carrots, bell peppers, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms,
radishes, celery, asparagus, peas, quinoa, chicken breast, turkey
breast, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, edamame, black beans,
jalapenos, onion) are perfect components for sauces, stocks, and
soups that can be made Friday afternoons and frozen for use the
next week.
-These food items can also be utilized Friday afternoons for
enchiladas, casseroles, meatloaf, pasta bakes, veggie/bean burger
patties, ect and be frozen for use the next week
-The leftover yogurt and berries can be frozen to use for use in
smoothies, syrups, chutneys, batters, ect

Check Results of Actions Taken

Once your recommendations have been put into action, check back to make sure the
problem has been solved, at least in part. If not, you will need to start from step 2 again.
Collect follow-up data and graph the results to ensure that there has been improvement in
the situation. Discuss this in your summary. NOTE: Your assignment only covers through
making a recommendation. Your site may not implement your recommendation, either at all
or before you leave the rotation. To really assure that the problem has been solved, you
would need to do a second data collection once your recommendation has been
implemented.

The systems analysis report and action plan were given to the food
service manager but the plan was unable to be implemented during
the time frame of my rotation at CSAA.

Quality Outcome Assessment Criteria

____Problem is identified based on needs assessment
____Data is collected in an objective manner from a variety of sources and
presented in table
format
____Collected data is presented in graphic chart format and analyzed and
possible source of
the problem identified
____Recommendations are made based on the analysis of the data

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____If recommendations are implemented, evaluation of effectiveness is done
and further
recommendations made as indicated
____Summary outlines and explains all the steps involved in system analysis
____Summary report submitted by deadline

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Food Item (amount

of each item put into
salad bar in lbs)

Mon
day
(lbs)

Tues
day
(lbs)

Wedne
sday
(lbs)

Thur
sday
(lbs)

Frida
y (lbs)

Total (lbs)

4.5lb
Mixed salad greens

3lbs

4lbs

3lbs

1.5lbs

16lbs

baby spinach

4lbs

4.5lbs

5.5lbs

3.5lbs

2lbs

19.5lbs

romaine

6lbs
0.5lb

4.5lbs

5lbs

4.5lbs

2.5lbs
0.25lb

22.5lbs

0lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

red cabbage

1.25lbs

cherry tomatoes

2lbs

1lbs

1.5lbs

1.5lbs

0lbs

6lbs

sliced cucumber

3lbs

2lbs

2lbs

1lbs

10lbs

sliced zucchini

2.lbs

1lbs

0.75lbs

2lbs
0.75l
bs

0lbs

4.5lbs

shredded carrots

2lbs
2.5lb

1lbs

1.5lbs

1lbs

0.5lbs

6lbs

1lbs

2lbs

1.5lbs

1.5lbs

8.5lbs

0lbs
0.75l
bs

0lbs

1.25lbs

0.5lbs

5.5lbs

0lbs
0.25lb

2.5lbs

sliced bell peppers

corn cobs

1lbs

0lbs

0.25lbs

blanched broccoli

2lbs

1lbs

1.25lbs

blanched cauliflower

1lbs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

sliced mushrooms

1lbs

0.5lbs

0.75lbs

0.5lbs
0.75l
bs

sliced radishes

1lbs
1.5lb

0lbs

0lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

0.75lbs

0.5lbs

1lbs
0.75l
bs

1lbs

.75lbs
0.25l
bs

sliced celery

asparagus
peas

2lbs
1.5lb
s

1.5lbs

3.25lbs
0lbs
0.25lb

3.5lbs
0.5lbs
0.25lb

1lbs

5.25lbs
4.25lbs

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1.5lb
corn

quinoa/corn/pea salad

1lbs

artichoke hearts

1lbs

0.75l
bs

1lbs

0.75l
bs

beets

2lbs

0lbs
0.25l
bs
0.75l
bs

jicama

1lbs

0.5lbs

0.75lbs

0lbs
1.25l
bs
0.75l
bs

albacore tuna

2lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

roast turkey

2lbs

1lbs

1lbs

chicken breast

6lbs
1.5lb

4.5lbs

tofu

0lbs

0lbs

0.25lbs
1lbs

4.5lbs

0lbs
0.25lb

1lbs

1.75lbs
0.75lb

5.75lbs
0lbs

3lbs

0lbs

3lbs

1lbs

0.5lbs

5.5lbs

4lbs

6lbs

2lbs

22.5lbs

0lbs

0.25lbs

0lbs
0.25lb

1.75lbs

1lbs

1lbs

0lbs
0.75l
bs

1.5lb
kidney beans

0.5lbs

4.5lbs

garbanzo beans

2lbs

1lbs

1.75lbs

1.5lbs

edemame beans

2lbs

1lbs

0.75lbs

1lbs

hard boiled egg

3lbs

2.5lbs

11lbs

1lbs

2.5lbs
0.25l
bs

1.5lbs

feta cheese

0lbs

2lbs

blue cheese

1lbs

1.5lbs
0.25l
bs
0.25l
bs

0lbs
0.25lb

2lbs

parmasean cheese

1lbs
1.5lb

0lbs
0.25l
bs

0.25lbs

0.5lbs
0.25l
bs
0.25l
bs

0lbs

2.25lbs

pineapple

2lbs

1.5lbs

1.5lbs

1lbs

0lbs

6lbs

honeydew

2lbs

0.5lbs

1lbs

0lbs

0lbs

3.5lbs

canteloupe

2lbs

0.5lbs

1.lbs

0.5lbs

0lbs

4lbs

mixed berries

2lbs
1.5lb

1.5lbs

0.75lbs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

5.25lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

0lbs

0lbs

2lbs

0.5lbs

1lbs

0.5lbs

0lbs
0.25lb

4lbs

0.5lbs

0.75lbs

0.5lbs

1.5lbs
0.25l
bs

2lbs
0.25lbs

2lbs
0.25l
bs

0lbs

0.25lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

cottage cheese

grapes

watermelon
black olives

2lbs
1.5lb
s

ground turkey

2lbs

tortilla chips

1lbs

jalapenos

1lbs
1.5lb

diced red onion

0.5lbs
0.25lbs
0.5lbs

guacamole

1lbs

0lbs

0.5lbs

salsa

1lbs
1.5lb

0lbs

0.25lbs

0lbs
0.25l
bs

0.5lbs

0.5lbs

0lbs
0.5lbs

black beans
tri bean vegetarian
salad
cheddar cheese

0.5lbs
0.25lb
s

6.75lbs
6lbs

2lbs

3.5lbs
1.5lbs
0.25lb

9lbs
2lbs

0lbs

1.25lbs

0.5lbs
0.25lb

3.5lbs

1.75lbs
0lbs

1.5lbs

0lbs

0lbs

2.5lbs

0.5lbs

0lbs

0lbs
0.25lb

3lbs

0.75lbs

0.5lbs

2.5lb
s
2lbs

4lbs

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0.75lb
sliced tomatoes

2lbs

1lbs

Tracking (lbs)

Mon
day

Tues
day

food scraps (pre

consumer) (lbs)

10.5l
bs

18.25
lbs

end of the week

waste (lbs)
TOTAL- COMBINED
SALAD BAR
COMPONENTS WASTE
(LBS)
food scraps & waste
(134lbs)/ food put into
salad bar (265.25lbs)=
50.48%

0.75lbs

Wedne
sday
23.25lbs

1lbs

5.5lbs
TOTAL=
265.25lbs

Thur
sday

Frida

Weekly
Total

15.75
lbs

13.25l
bs

81lbs

53lbs

53lbs

134lbs