Food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers: A cross-sectional study in school kitchens in Espírito Santo, Brazil

Survey on hygiene and food safety among kitchen staff in preschools in Podgorica, Montenegro

Ensuring food safety in kindergartens is crucial for protecting the health of young children. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of 113 kitchen employees across the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica. These employees prepare and serve two to four meals daily for children under six. The study aimed to explore correlations between KAP and sociodemographic characteristics and compare self-reported practices with the observed ones. We hypothesized a significant association between the kitchen staff's knowledge, attitudes, and food handling practices, emphasizing education and training for better hygiene practices. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and checklists. Respondents showed moderate knowledge (77.25±2.69 %) and positive attitudes (95.72±4.53 %), while observed practices were not as high (64.65±27.73 %). A weak positive correlation existed between knowledge and attitudes (r=0.190; p=0.04). Higher education, work experience, and frequent training were associated with better knowledge (p<0.05). Sociodemographic characteristics did not significantly influence attitudes and practices. Multivariate logistic regression indicated knowledge and attitude as predictors, with food safety attitude impacting safe handling practices. Our findings showed moderate knowledge and positive attitudes do not necessarily lead to good practices, as there was no significant correlation between knowledge and self-reported practices or between attitudes and self-reported practices. Education is crucial, as educated staff were more likely to know more about temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and equipment hygiene. Overcoming external barriers such as infrastructure and time constraints is essential to applying knowledge fostering positive attitudes and improving hygiene practices in kindergartens. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions to ensure safe food handling practices in childcare settings, emphasizing continuous education to maintain food safety standards.

Post‑recovery symptoms of infected cases after Omicron pandemic: a quick online cross-sectional study based on C19-YRSm in China

BACKGROUND

The post COVID-19 health condition of Chinese residents infected with Omicron is not clear after the change of epidemic prevention policies. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiology and associated factors about health status of rehabilitation patients.

METHODS

A quick questionnaire study based on C19-YRSm was conducted in mainland China through internet from May 1, 2023, to May 7, 2023. Chinese native speakers infected with Omicron variant agreed to participate were included. Persisting symptom and living habits were simultaneously inquired. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors.

RESULTS

In this study 753 individuals were included. Of whom 57.90% were males, 89.38% did not seek medical service, 99.47% recovered within less than 120 days. Breathlessness (47.68%), cognitive impairment (44.89%), Anxiety/mood changes (33.20%), pain/discomfort (32.94%), fatigue or tiredness not improved by rest (32.27%) and post-exertional malaise (30.01%) were the top reported key symptoms. Less than 10% respondents reported functional limitations. The prevalence of fever was reported greater than that of other symptoms, with dry eyes at 14.87%, appetite change at 14.34%, and hair loss at 12.22%. Middle age (OR: 2.353, 95%CI: 1.171 ~ 4.729), underlying diseases (OR: 2.293, 95%CI: 1.216 ~ 4.324), severe key symptom (OR: 6.168, 95%CI: 1.376 ~ 27.642) and at least one other symptom (OR: 1.847, 95%CI: 1.225 ~ 2.718)during the recovery were the risk factors of poor overall health after infection (current overall health score <8; 74.10%), while daily exercise in recovery period (OR: 0.457, 95%CI: 0.229 ~ 0.913), a low-fat diet (OR: 0.600, 95%CI: 0.401 ~ 0.898) and the recovery time from 2 to 4 months (OR: 0.639, 95%CI: 0.445 ~ 0.918) were the protective factors.

CONCLUSION

This is the first time to use the C19-YRSm scale to evaluate the health status in China. The study revealed prevalence of persistent symptoms within 120 days after Omicron onset.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitude, and Hygienic Practices of Food Handlers in Yeka Sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Introduction

Foodborne diseases pose a significant global public health threat, often originating from improper food handling practices. Given the crucial role of food handlers in preventing transmission of foodborne diseases, this study assessed the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and hygiene practices related to foodborne diseases among food handlers in food service establishments in Yeka Sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Method

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 373 randomly selected food handlers. Data collection involved observing the kitchen hygiene practices and food handling practices through an observational checklist, and administering structured/standardized questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, with associations examined using the linear by linear association test. Spearman's correlation assessed relationships between knowledge, attitude, and practice cut points. Pre-testing and Cronbach's alpha were used to ensure the reproducibility, and reliability of the questionnaire.

Results

Majority of food handlers (50.1%) were aged less than 25 years, with 78.8% being female, and attended secondary school (46.4%). The overall knowledge (65%), positive attitude (92.2%), and hygiene practices (44%) of the food handlers toward food safety were good. Regarding the knowledge perspective, gaps existed in understanding disease transmission, notably Hepatitis A and tuberculosis. Although positive attitudes toward food safety were reported, observed practices were inconsistent, with a significant proportion admitting to working while ill. Compliance with uniform and protective gear was lacking. Marital status, Experience in food safety, and Work satisfaction has been shown to affect the knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices of food handlers in this study.

Conclusion

This study highlights critical gaps in understanding disease transmission, and hygiene practices of food handlers in Yeka sub-city. Addressing these gaps will necessitate targeted interventions, including continuous education and training programs. Enhanced regulatory oversight is also needed to ensure compliance with food safety standards in public food establishments.

"From Preparation to Consumption." Food Safety Practices among Public Food Handler's in Enugu Metropolis

Background

demand for public prepared food with numerous food handlers creates uncertainties in the quality of safe foods and possible food contamination. This study aimed to ascertain the food safety hygiene practices, and associated factors among public food handlers in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 400 public food handlers in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria. Samples were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using pretested structured interviewer administered questionnaire and analyzed using percentage, mean and multiple regression. Statistical significance was set at p< 0.05.

Results

The mean age of respondents were 31.16 ± 8.242 years. About two - thirds, 66.5% of respondents were found to have good knowledge of food hygiene safety practices. The overall food safety hygiene practice mean score was 80.10 ± 10.25 with 70.5% showing good practice. Environmental safety hygiene had good practice of 35.0% and mean score of 24.17 ± 2.29. The factors which statistically significantly predicted overall food safety practices, F (11, 388) = 42.957, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.536 were educational level (β = 0.148, C.I = 0.860 - 3.082), knowledge level (β = 8.594, C.I = 5.635 - 8.979) and safety trainings (β = 0.517, C.I = 4.102 - 5.474).

Conclusion

There were good safety hygiene practices except on environmental safety hygiene practices component. Safety training, knowledge level and educational level were the predictors of good practices. Frequent training is most needed to prevent or control food contamination and consequent food borne diseases.

A comparative study of food safety knowledge among mobile food vendors and canteen food handlers in markets in Kano Metropolis, Northwest Nigeria

Introduction

foodborne diseases are an emerging public health challenge due to the global increase in vended food. This study aimed to compare food safety knowledge among mobile and canteen food handlers in Kano metropolis.

Methods

a comparative cross-sectional design was used to study 310 mobile food vendors and 310 canteen food handlers selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected by interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels using SPSS version 20 at 5% α level of significance.

Results

the mean ages (±SD) of mobile and canteen food vendors were 24.6±9.1 and 32.1±10.3 years, respectively. Majority of them were females (66.2% mobile and 61.5% canteen food vendors). Good knowledge of food safety and hygiene was found among 22 (7.2%) and 67 (23.3%), mobile and canteen food vendors, respectively. Mobile food vendors who worked for less than 35 hours per week were 70% less likely to have good knowledge of food safety [AOR=0.3, 95%CI=0.2-0.6, p<0.001] relative to those who worked for ≥35 hours per week. Among canteen food vendors, marital status [AOR=1.7, 95%CI=1.2-1.3, p=0.002], hours of food vending per week [AOR=2.7, 95%CI=1.6-4.3, p<0.001], and job description [AOR=0.5, 95%CI=0.3-0.9, p=0.008], were independent predictors of food safety knowledge.

Conclusion

knowledge of food safety and hygiene was found to be suboptimal among both canteen food vendors and mobile food vendors. The government should ensure regular training and supervision of food vendors for compliance with food safety guidelines.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of fresh Nile perch value chain handlers towards food safety requirements in Uganda

In the continuum from 'farm to fork', the proficiency of food handlers in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is essential for ensuring improved food safety outcomes. This study evaluated the KAP of fresh Nile perch fish handlers regarding food safety requirements within Uganda. A cross-sectional survey involving fish handlers (n = 466) engaged in handling fresh Nile perch and fisheries products in both local and export market chains. The study was conducted at 30 gazetted fish landing sites on Lake Victoria, 15 licensed fish export factories, and 9 local markets authorized to sell fisheries products. Data on demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practices was collected using structured questionnaire. Demographic data was analysed using frequencies and percentages. Ordinary least squares bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food safety requirements. Fish handlers (49.8 %) demonstrated good knowledge with the majority (74.6 %) from the export market chain. Majority (81.3 %) of market stall handlers had poor knowledge of food safety requirements. Most (68.2 %) fresh Nile perch fish handlers had limited awareness of food-borne pathogens. Only 31.8 % had knowledge about E. coli, Salmonella spp, and Staphylococcus spp. Furthermore, over 63 % believed that consuming contaminated fish could transmit HIV, Covid-19, and Ebola. Male gender, higher income, and advanced education were positively correlated with fish handlers' knowledge of food safety requirements. Fish handlers (57 %) in the local market chain exhibited poor attitudes. Being a male fish handler was significantly (β = 3.43, 95 % CI: 1.65-5.21, P = 0.001) associated with positive attitudes compared to being female. Education at different levels was significantly (Primary (β = 3.19, 95 % CI: 1.05-5.33, P = 0.004); Secondary level (β = 5.883, 95 % CI: 3.52-8.23, P = 0.001); Tertiary (β = 6.09, 95 % CI: 3.03-9.15, P = 0.001)) associated with positive attitudes compared to no education. Practices ensuring food safety were common in the factories and the export market. The study suggests the need for interventions that promote knowledge transfer and food safety culture, particularly in the local market chain.

Food safety-related practices among residents aged 18-75 years during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Southwest China

BACKGROUND

Good food safety practices are essential to minimizing foodborne diseases. The present study explored the food safety-related practices of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China and identified the impacting factors.

METHODS

Residents aged 18-75 years from Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing, China, were included in our study. The convenience sampling method was used to select participants, and face-to-face surveys were conducted in households and communities to collect data. Descriptive statistics including sociodemographic characteristics of respondents and weighted percentages were obtained and the log-binomial regression was used to evaluate the influencing factors associated with food safety-related practices.

RESULTS

Overall, 7,848 respondents were involved, with 97.5% efficacy. Disparities in food safety-related practices were observed between males and females, with the former performing poorer practices than the latter (70.5% vs. 68.0%, respectively). Notably, paying attention to nutrition labels when shopping for prepackaged foods was the worst practice. Age, ethnicity, region, occupation, education level, and income were identified as significant determinants of food safety-related practices. Moreover, in comparison to males, females were more likely to acquire pertinent knowledge from diverse sources, including social media, family members/ friends, books/ newspapers/ magazines, experts, and food sales staff (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Males performed inferior food safety-related practices than females during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China. It is suggested that future food safety education programs should incorporate diverse targeted approaches, with emphasis on males. The role of mainstream media in promoting food safety practices should be expanded and prioritized in the forthcoming initiatives.

The Socioeconomic Factors of Street Food Vending in Developing Countries and Its Implications for Public Health: A Systematic Review

The sale of ready-to-eat (RTE) street food represents an important source of income in many developing countries. However, these foods are frequently implicated in outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases. Street food vendors face several constraints that hamper improvement in the microbiological quality of their products. The aim of this review was to update knowledge about the main causes of foodborne illnesses in developing countries, including the growing concern with the microbial transmission of antibiotic resistance. Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review was conducted on original articles published from January 2010 to July 2023. The search was carried out using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA), the International Information System for Agricultural Sciences and Technology (AGRIS), as well as isolated searches of relevant articles from Google Scholar. The initial search identified 915 articles, 50 of which were included in this systematic review. The results indicate that, in the majority of the 15 countries examined, women constitute the predominant segment of street food vendors, representing more than 55% of the total number of these vendors. In 11 countries, street food vendors under the age of 18 were identified. Most vendors had a low level of education and, consequently, were unaware of good hygiene practices when handling food. The combination of factors such as poor hygiene practices on the part of food handlers and the lack of facilities, namely, the absence of available potable water, were frequently listed as the main causes of food contamination. Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coli (61.9%), Salmonella (30.1%), and Shigella spp. (9.5%), as well as Staphylococcus aureus (30.1%) and Listeria monocytogenes (14.3%), were the most common pathogens found in RTE street foods. In 22 studies from 13 developing countries, 59% (13/22) reported high multidrug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae (40% to 86.4% in E. coli, 16.7 to 70% in Salmonella, and 31 to 76.4% in S. aureus). To address the challenges faced by street vendors and improve their economic activities, it is necessary for government entities, consumers, and vendors to work together collaboratively.

Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, food safety among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Annually, 600 million individuals are affected by food-borne diseases (FBD), alongside 425,000 fatalities. Improving the general public knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, (KAP) food safety is necessary for minimizing FBD transmission. In Malaysia, migrant workers account for 11.1% of the workforce, with a high proportion involved in food and beverage services. Therefore, this study aimed (i) to evaluate the current food safety KAP, and (ii) to identify the strategies to promote food safety awareness, among migrant workers across occupational sectors in Klang Valley.

METHOD

A survey was conducted with 403 migrant workers through phone interviews and online self-administered questionnaires. Piecewise structural equation modelling and multinomial regression were applied to identify predictor variables for food safety KAP and to explore differences across nationalities.

RESULTS

The respondents were Nepalese, Filipino and Indonesian. The majority were male, working in the services industry, had completed high school, aged between 30 and 39 years and had worked in Malaysia for less than ten years. Knowledge was significantly correlated with attitudes and practices. Female respondents had lower knowledge and attitude scores while younger respondents had lower knowledge scores. Indonesian and Filipino respondents had lower knowledge and attitudes scores than Nepalese respondents. Understanding food safety information from social media was positively correlated with the respondents' food safety knowledge and practices.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlighted: (i) the need to target female, younger, Indonesian and Filipino migrant workers, and (ii) the potential of social media to improve public awareness of food safety and hygienic practices.

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAPs) among Jordanian Elderly-A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and good practices are essential for preventing malnutrition, ensuring good health, and maintaining life quality. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have been published on the nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of Jordanian older people. For this reason, our study aimed to assess the KAPs in the Jordanian elderly. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1200 people aged 60 and over. The results revealed that 52.8% of participants had poor knowledge, 52.7% had negative attitude scores, and 72.6% had poor practices. Significant differences were found between the three regions in the KAP prevalence (p < 0.001). The northern region had a higher prevalence of nutritionally poor knowledge (65.6%) compared to 52.5% and 40.4% for the central and southern regions, respectively. Participants from the central region had a higher prevalence of a positive attitude (55.4%), whereas the northern and the southern participants had a higher prevalence of a negative attitude (65.6% and 54.4%, respectively). All regions reported poor practices, yet, significantly, the northern regions had the highest prevalence of poor practices. Participants with a low educational level reported a significantly higher prevalence of poor knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practices compared to participants with a high educational level. The results obtained underline the importance of taking into account the lack of nutrition-related KAPs among the elderly in Jordan. It is crucial to raise awareness on this issue and to implement the national nutrition strategy, with particular attention paid to the elderly. Concrete measures must be taken to ensure that the nutritional needs of older people are met and to improve their quality of life.

Food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices regarding safe food handling in charitable food assistance programmes in the eThekwini District, South Africa: cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices towards safer donated foods.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2021.

SETTING

This study was conducted in the eThekwini District, South Africa.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sampling-based cross-sectional survey of food handlers (n=252) served as the study's main source of data. A total of eight study sites across five municipal planning regions of eThekwini District were visited. The principal investigator administered the validated structured standardised questionnaire, using participants' language of choice, which was either English or isiZulu. All the questions in the questionnaire were asked in exactly the same manner, following the same flow, in order to avoid bias and ensure consistency. Furthermore, the close-ended nature of questions in the questionnaire mitigated the risks of question manipulation. The questionnaire was adapted from the WHO's five keys to a safer food manual.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices towards safer donated foods. The secondary outcomes were the sanitary conditions of infrastructure and facilities, food handlers' observed food handling behaviour and nutritional information/labelling.

RESULTS

The results show that the food handlers had good knowledge, positive attitude and acceptable behaviours towards safe food handling and general hygiene, with mean scores (SD) of 62.8 (14.6), 92.5 (14.1) and 80.4 (13.3), respectively. Significant correlations were found between knowledge and attitudes (p=0001), knowledge and practices (p<0001), and attitudes and practices (p=0.02). However, the correlations between knowledge versus attitude and attitude versus practice were poor (Spearman's r<0.3), and the association between knowledge versus practice was moderate (0.3-0.7). The majority of food handlers (92.5%) did not understand the value of thorough cooking and temperature control. About 53% of respondents acknowledged to never adequately reheating cooked meals, 5% did not see the significance of preventing cross-contamination and 5% were unsure.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the relatively positive knowledge, attitude and practice levels of the food handlers, safe food handling and hygiene practices, such as thorough cooking and temperature control, properly reheating cooked meals and taking precautions to prevent cross-contamination, require some emphasis.

Knowledge of Food Safety and Handling Practices Among Food Handlers of Student Cafeteria at Kotebe Metropolitan University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION

Food-borne disease is a major health problem especially in low-income countries like Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of food handlers at student cafeteria of Kotebe Metropolitan University.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 68 food handlers in student cafeteria of Kotebe Metropolitan University from May 30, 2018 to October 30, 2019. A structured questionnaire was used via face-to-face interviews to assess food handler's knowledge of food safety and practices food safety. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences window version 20 and presented in the form of frequency tables, percentages, and graphs. The association was tested using Pearson's chi-square, where P-value (<.05) was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The result showed that food handlers had good knowledge of food safety and good practice of food safety measured by the passing score of 40 (57.94%) and 48 (70.6%), respectively. Almost all food handlers were aware of the crucial role of knowledge of food safety and food safety practices in the student cafeteria. Accordingly, results of this work revealed that 67 (98.5%), 60 (88.2%), 65 (95.6%), and 56 (82.4%) of the subjects had food safety knowledge, always wash vegetables and fruits, had hand washing facilities with a supply of hot water, soap, and hand drying towel, had a hair mask or cloth during food preparation, and wore safety cloth during food preparation, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The findings revealed significant relationship between food safety practices of food handlers and level of education, specifically regarding access to hand washing facilities, hand washing after a break and in the toilet, changing gloves between raw and ready-to-eat food, and drying and cleaning hands before handling food (P < .05). Additionally, Kotebe Metropolitan University should design food handling and safety guidelines and offer specific training for food handling workers.

A scoping review protocol on food handlers' knowledge, attitude, and practices towards food hygiene and safety in low and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

Food safety and hygiene has emerged as the foremost cause of concern in recent time, especially post-pandemic and has changed the eating out behaviour of the consumers. Consumers often consider food safety and hygiene as one of the most prominent factors and hence it is important for food handlers to have adequate knowledge and the right attitude towards food safety and food hygiene. The review will summarise the evidence on food handlers' behaviours towards food safety and hygiene and associated factors that inhibit positive behaviour towards following food safety protocols and standards.

METHODS

 This scoping review protocol is guided by updated methodology from Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The search will be conducted on Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Web of Science. Google Scholar will be used to locate pertinent grey literature. A citation search will also be employed for identifying additional relevant studies. Quantitative and qualitative studies published from 2011- present will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen and extract the data. A third reviewer will be involved in resolving disagreements between reviewers. A two-stage screening including title/abstract and full-text will be conducted. Data extraction will be done using a pilot-tested data extraction form. The data extracted from included studies will be organised and presented using narrative synthesis. The review will also attempt to identify the unaddressed gaps in the literature with the available evidence.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

An ethical clearance is not required for this scoping review as findings from existing published literature will be summarised. The review findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and journal publications.

Food Safety Concerns and Practices Among Palestinian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

University students constitute a target for risk-reduction interventions regarding food poisoning as they are among those with higher exposure to problematic food. This is particularly important since young adults’ knowledge regarding measures to prevent foodborne illnesses was found to be inadequate. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food safety and food poisoning among An-Najah National University Students and to investigate the correlation of their knowledge, attitudes, and practices with various socio-demographic characteristics and academic variables. The cross-sectional design was used, and the study occurred at An-Najah National University in Nablus. Data was collected using a native Arabic language face-to-face questionnaire. Verbal consent was obtained before initiation. The questionnaire has four parts that address students’ demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practice. A sample of 450 students was invited to complete the questionnaire. Half the respondents were aged 17 to 20, and more than half (57.1%) were females. The median knowledge score was 10.00 [8.75–12.0]. A significant correlation was found between the food poisoning knowledge and attitude scores of students ( r = .339, p < .001), a significant correlation between food poisoning knowledge and attitude scores ( r = .285, p < .001), and a significant correlation between attitude and practice scores ( r = .429, p < .001). The current study found significant correlations between knowledge, attitude, and practices of university students regarding food safety. Female respondents also had better attitudes and more hygienic food practices. The results can help students prepare effective methods to understand food poisoning better and improve their knowledge and awareness. The study also indicates that more comprehensive and focused education regarding food safety is required for this population.

Risk Factors Associated with Extensively Drug-Resistant Typhoid in an Outbreak Setting of Lyari Town Karachi, Pakistan

Typhoid fever is endemic in Pakistan, with high annual incidence rates. An outbreak of extensively drug-resistant typhoid fever that first started in the Hyderabad District, Sindh Province, in November 2016 immediately spread to the entire province. We conducted an age-matched case-control study to assess the risk factors of typhoid fever in an outbreak setting of Lyari Town, Karachi. We enrolled 82 patients with blood culture-confirmed Salmonella typhi between August 2019 to December 2019, and 82 age-matched hospital and 164 age-matched community control subjects. In a matched conditional logistic regression model, consumption of meals outside the home more than once per month was associated significantly with developing culture-confirmed typhoid fever compared with no consumption of food outside the home (odds ratio, 4.11). Hygiene of the environment in which food is prepared, practices of adult food handlers, access to clean water, and food legislation play significant roles in the spread of typhoid fever.

Developing a Catering Quality Scale for University Canteens in China: From the Perspective of Food Safety

This study aimed to create a catering quality scale for university canteens in China. It is based on a questionnaire survey, with a total of 1302 distributed and 844 valid retrieved questionnaires, yielding a 64.8% recovery rate. Catering safety management, employee hygiene management, catering service, food quality, environmental atmosphere, and corporate social responsibility are the six topics primarily covered. In the first step of the scale, the dimensions were developed through EFA. Catering safety management includes kitchen safety, storage safety, and food safety. Employee hygiene management has two dimensions: Employee hygiene knowledge and employee management. Catering service includes service consciousness and a focus on consumers. Environmental atmosphere includes place management and place design. Further, corporate social responsibility encompasses social responsibility and taking care of employees. The second step of the scale involved conducting a CFA, which found a good overall fit of the scale. The results indicated good discriminant validity, convergent validity, and reliability. Moreover, the model comparison showed that the two-level, six-factor model was significantly better than other models.

Cross sectional study on food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers in Lahore district, Pakistan

Annually, millions of the people suffer from foodborne diseases which are mainly associated with poor food handling practices. The poor food safety knowledge and practices increase the risk of food contamination and foodborne diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between demographic attributes and food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of food handlers (chefs and servers) working in small-scale restaurants, hotels and eateries in Lahore, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire including questions related to demographic characteristics and food safety KAP attributes of food handlers (n = 202) was used to collect the responses. The responses of food handlers were statistically analyzed using Spearman Correlation and Chi-Square tests. The results showed that a large proportion of food handlers had good attitudes towards food safety and followed good food safety practices (FSP) but had poor food safety knowledge (FSK). Demographic characteristics of food handlers i.e. level of education, professional category, current job tenure, and total food service industry experience were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with FSK, FSA, and FSP. FSK was found to be moderate to strongly correlated with FSP of food handlers (rs = 0.675), whereas FSA was found to be strongly correlated with FSP (rs = 0.733). The study highlighted the importance and impact of food safety knowledge on food safety practices and overall perspective of food handlers working in restaurants.

Food Safety Attitude and Associated Factors Among Mothers of Under 5 Children, Debarq Town: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study, 2019

BACKGROUND

Food-borne diseases represent a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries. However, this problem has more impact on health and economy in developing countries than in developed countries but reliable data is not available.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was done in 2019 at Debarq town, Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia. A questionnaire prepared in English after adapted from previous studies then translated in to local language Amharic was used in order to collect the data. Data were checked manually for completeness, coded, and entered in to Epi Info version 7.1 and then exported in to SPSS version 26 statistical package for analyze. Descriptive statistics, percentage, frequency, standard deviation, and mean were analyzed. Likewise, bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis were done to know the relationship between the independent variables and attitude of food safety among mothers. The variables found having a P-value <.2 in the bivariable analysis were further analyzed in multivariable binary logistic regression. The variables with P-value <.05 were considered as significantly associated with food safety attitude of mothers.

RESULTS

About 423 mothers of under-5 children were involved in this study. The mean age of the participants was 39.844 ± 11.02. In this study, educational status (primary education (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 2.66; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] [1.42-4.97]), secondary education (AOR: 2.66; 95% CI [3.35-14.05]), and diploma and above (AOR: 4.07; 95% CI [1.65-10.06])), higher income (AOR: 3.58; 95% CI [1.54-8.29]), good food safety knowledge (AOR: 3.08; 95% CI [1.51-6.242]) and good food hygiene practice (AOR: 3.97; 95% CI [2.33-6.75]) were factors associated with food safety attitude in the current study.

CONCLUSION

Significant proportion of participants in the study area had poor food safety attitude. Educational status, income, food safety knowledge, and food safety practice were significantly associated with food safety attitude among mothers. Food hygiene practice, knowledge, and level of education should be increased in order to improve food safety attitudes among mothers who were responsible in food processing at household level.

Specific Hygiene Procedures and Practices Assessment: A Cross-Sectional Study in Fresh Fishery Product Retailers of Lisbon's Traditional Food Markets

This study aimed to assess the compliance of specific hand hygiene and food contact surfaces hygiene in fresh fishery product retailers (FFPR) and its relation to socio-demographic characteristics that might influence the observed procedures and practices. A cross-sectional study was conducted in traditional food markets’ FFPRs (N = 74) using interviews and audits for data collection purposes. Results revealed that women were overrepresented among FFPR managers; most were over 50 years of age and had a long working experience in fish retail activities, despite a low educational level. The majority had attended training courses in food hygiene, safety, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points-based procedures. Both documental assessment and hand hygiene procedures and practices verification revealed a low level of compliance. Many documents supporting hygiene practices were lacking. Several non-conforming requisites were identified related to the handwashing procedure and equipment and to glove wearing practices. A higher level of compliance was obtained in food contact surfaces hygiene procedures and practices verification, with complete hygiene procedures applied and proper cleaning of utensils and chemical products management in several cases. These findings reflect an ambiguous understanding and misconceptions related to hygiene procedures and practices, suggesting the need to improve and update FFPR food handler training regarding basic food hygiene and safety.