Numerous Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with fast food restaurants. This research created a computer model and simulation with the Micrografx computer software program Process™ for the safe handling of ground beef patties and lettuce in a typical fast food restaurant.
A reference facility was visited to obtain a text description of the flow of food. To create the model, a process diagram was made that graphically represented the series of steps that were taken from the arrival of products to the delivery of the cooked and assembled product to the consumer. A process model was created when the steps in the process diagram was assigned behaviors. The final phase was process simulation.
The simulation results indicated the model was representative of a typical fast-food restaurant. The model was then used successfully to simulate three potential breakdowns of the food safety system that could lead to a foodborne illness outbreak.
","abstract_html":"<p>Numerous <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with fast food restaurants. This research created a computer model and simulation with the Micrografx computer software program Process™ for the safe handling of ground beef patties and lettuce in a typical fast food restaurant.</p><p>A reference facility was visited to obtain a text description of the flow of food. To create the model, a process diagram was made that graphically represented the series of steps that were taken from the arrival of products to the delivery of the cooked and assembled product to the consumer. A process model was created when the steps in the process diagram was assigned behaviors. The final phase was process simulation.</p><p>The simulation results indicated the model was representative of a typical fast-food restaurant. The model was then used successfully to simulate three potential breakdowns of the food safety system that could lead to a foodborne illness outbreak.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Doyle, Carolyn"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)","degree_level":"Thesis - restricted","degree_discipline":"Environmental Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-05-04T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-05-04T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z","subjects":["Hamburger","iGrafx","Modeling","Process","Lettuce","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/728","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Doyle, Carolyn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2002-05-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Environmental Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - restricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Hamburger","iGrafx","Modeling","Process","Lettuce","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1885/viewcontent/doylec113001a.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/728"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Numerous Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with fast food restaurants. This research created a computer model and simulation with the Micrografx computer software program Process™ for the safe handling of ground beef patties and lettuce in a typical fast food restaurant.
A reference facility was visited to obtain a text description of the flow of food. To create the model, a process diagram was made that graphically represented the series of steps that were taken from the arrival of products to the delivery of the cooked and assembled product to the consumer. A process model was created when the steps in the process diagram was assigned behaviors. The final phase was process simulation.
The simulation results indicated the model was representative of a typical fast-food restaurant. The model was then used successfully to simulate three potential breakdowns of the food safety system that could lead to a foodborne illness outbreak.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Computer Modeling and Simulation of Ground Beef and Lettuce Handling for Hamburgers at a Typical Fast-Food Restaurant."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Doyle, Carolyn"],"dc:date.issued":["2002-05-04T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Numerous Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with fast food restaurants. This research created a computer model and simulation with the Micrografx computer software program Process™ for the safe handling of ground beef patties and lettuce in a typical fast food restaurant.
A reference facility was visited to obtain a text description of the flow of food. To create the model, a process diagram was made that graphically represented the series of steps that were taken from the arrival of products to the delivery of the cooked and assembled product to the consumer. A process model was created when the steps in the process diagram was assigned behaviors. The final phase was process simulation.
The simulation results indicated the model was representative of a typical fast-food restaurant. The model was then used successfully to simulate three potential breakdowns of the food safety system that could lead to a foodborne illness outbreak.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1885/viewcontent/doylec113001a.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/728"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Hamburger","iGrafx","Modeling","Process","Lettuce","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"dc:title":["Computer Modeling and Simulation of Ground Beef and Lettuce Handling for Hamburgers at a Typical Fast-Food Restaurant."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Environmental Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - restricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z"}