Systematic mapping of food safety outbreaks in the hospitality sector in the Dominican Republic

The hospitality sector underpins the Dominican Republic's (DR) economy but may be a setting where foodborne disease outbreaks (FBDOs) can occur. The purpose of this research is to conduct a systematic mapping exercise on the available scientific literature related to FBDOs in hospitality in the DR and their link to reported food safety and hygienic practices.

A predefined search protocol applied the principles of PRISMA guidance. Publications (n = 2,793) from databases (e.g. Web of Science, PubMed) were identified and systematically selected for relevance. A full-text assessment based on the inclusion criteria led to the identification of a refined list of studies and academic publications (n = 22) included in this review. The descriptive analysis of the collated data is then presented graphically.

A low rate of reporting highlights a knowledge gap on FBDOs, the related food safety hazards and how they are mitigated by stakeholders and local health authorities in the DR. Improving government and other stakeholder capacity to report, investigate and understand FBDOs and the practices involved is essential.

The research has implications for Government, businesses and public health officials and managers in the hospitality sector in the DR. A potential research limitation is that the search strategies could miss some relevant articles.

The findings provide a framing for improved risk analysis in implementing food safety management strategies for FBDOs.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic mapping research assessing evidence of FBDOs affecting hospitality in the DR.