Purpose -The purpose of this study is to explore food safety measures in catering and special event programs, especially with respect to the knowledge and implementation of knowledge of food handlers in the catering sector in the USA. Design/methodology/approach -A quantitative approach was utilized in this study. A questionnaire was distributed to 557 respondents, representing over 40 chapters in the National Association of Catering Executives. The questionnaire was divided into three sections of food safety (food handling, equipment, and personal hygiene). This study utilized t-tests and ANOVA to test for differences between gender, training, management status, and employment status with regard to food safety knowledge and practices. Findings -Results suggested that employees in the catering industry who work part-time need more training and development. Management was seen as more knowledgeable than non-management personnel and was seen to have more training. Overall the study found that there is a need to focus on training for employees, with even greater emphasis for new employees. Practical implications -The results of this study provide significant evidence that greater emphasis must take place to require proper training of all employees in the catering sector. An educational training program that focuses on the catering sector can be developed by utilizing the usable factors gained from this research. Originality/value -The present study provides a national survey representing a large geographic area of the USA, and focuses on catering servers, front-line staff, and management in the special event industry. This study also combines the safety issues of equipment, personal hygiene, and food handling into one study as a whole to examine the overall knowledge of catering employees in the industry.

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This case report details the collaboration and integration of three distinct courses using a service-learning approach for a grant-based environmental project at the University of Southern Maine (USM). The focus of this project was the intersection of food waste, climate implications, environmental stewardship, and food insecurity in light of mitigation and adaptation. Thirty students in the courses Food and Environment, Green Meetings and Conference Management, and Sustainable Business Practicum worked with 14 different community partners to develop plans to reduce food waste and their related environmental impacts. Small multidisciplinary teams of students measured and evaluated food waste, learned regulatory and business environments of food and cooking oils, explored options for better food utilization and donation, developed best practices for local partnerships and technologies, and communicated plans to their respective community partners in written form and summative oral presentation. Both the pedagogical servicelearning model and food waste project align with the institutional commitment to climate change education and mitigation while engaging students in experiential learning that directly benefits the local community.