Food Safety in Concessions: Are you Prepared?

Carnivals, amusement parks, and other businesses in the amusement and entertainment industry have adopted or expanded food concessions to attract more guests. It’s a no brainer for business, everyone wants to eat, but it does introduce a new element of risk that must be controlled.

Whether an amusement park chooses the flexible option of a mobile concession stand, incorporates a stationary food concession, or chooses a hybrid strategy of both, they need to factor in the massive risk of the possibility of foodborne illness. Every year stories of food contamination pop up in the news.

A single outbreak of foodborne illness at can cost the operator thousands of dollars in damages, and depending on the severity potentially more. These costs encompass fines, defense costs, legal fees, and the adjudication of claims. It’s critical for amusement and entertainment operators with food concessions to understand and stay in compliance with state and federal food safety laws, have a plan, train employees, and understand the risks of claims. Join while we explore the techniques required to manage and mitigate these risks.

Ryan Lowe is a Principal Safety Professional with Worldwide Safety Services responsible for development, management, execution, and sustainment of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products food safety and public health programs.  Over the last 10 years at Disney, he has worked closely with various businesses to provide technical expertise, consultation, and support related to food safety, epidemiology, infection control, environmental public health, disaster management and response, statistical analysis, environmental risk assessment, and public health surveillance.

Prior to coming to Disney in May 2011, he was a Regional Environmental Epidemiologist with the Florida Department of Health’s Food and Waterborne Disease Program where he provided consultation, training, and investigative assistance to local county health departments including food and waterborne disease surveillance and investigations, outbreak epidemiology, and food and waterborne disease preparedness and response.  During his career at the Florida Department of Health, he investigated, responded to, and controlled approximately 100 outbreaks (including person to person, foodborne, waterborne, respiratory, and zoonotic disease transmission).

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a Minor in Biology from Kansas State University in May 2002, a Master of Public Health degree in December 2006 from the University of South Florida, and a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management in May 2007 from the University of South Florida.