scholarly journals An Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge and Practices in the Ghanaian Hospitality Industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen T. Odonkor ◽  
Carolyn J. A. Odonkor
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Safety Practice ◽  
Health And Economic Development ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Food safety is critical for public health and economic development. The hospitality industry offers a variety of food services, led by food handlers with diverse background. The aim of this paper is to evaluate food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in the Ghanaian hospitality sectors, with the purpose of informing public policy and improving food safety. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between February and May 2019. Data were obtained from food handlers working in the Ghanaian hospitality industry (N = 306). The findings of the study indicate that most (52.9%) respondents who work in restaurants had knowledge about food safety principles. Lack of training and education was identified by 63.1% of the respondents as a major barrier to food safety. Interestingly, 75.8% of the respondents indicated that food safety practice is not the responsibility of the kitchen staff only. Diarrhea (35.95%), cholera (35.62%), and typhoid (27.42%) were identified as major diseases associated with improper handling of food. Only 65.69% of the respondents undergo annual medical screening at their workplaces. There is correlation between food safety practice and variables such as marital status, type of residence, age, and education level. Educational campaigns coupled with strict law enforcement should be put in place to ensure that food safety rules and guideline are effectively implemented in the hospitality food industry. Training programs should be organized for food vendors and other stakeholders in the food industry as well. Finally, there should be proactive supervision by local government officials to ensure that good sanitation and hygienic conditions are maintained within the food sectors.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, practices and training of fast-food restaurant food handlers: a moderation analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold Van Andaya Aquino ◽  
Tyron Yap ◽  
Jean Paolo Gomez Lacap ◽  
Gertrude Tuazon ◽  
Maribel Flores
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Safety Training ◽  
Fast Food Restaurant ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderation Analysis ◽  
Food Safety Training ◽  
Safety Knowledge

PurposeThe study examines the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices, and the moderating effect of food safety training on the said interrelationships.Design/methodology/approachPredictive-causal was the primary research design used and partial least squares – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was the statistical technique applied.FindingsResults showed that food safety knowledge significantly and positively influences attitudes towards food safety. It was further revealed that attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices are also significantly and positively related. Moderation analysis indicated that food safety training moderates the significant and positive relationship between attitudes towards food safety and food safety practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study has limitations. First, the unit of analysis is focused on food handlers in fast-food restaurants in Angeles City, Philippines. Other researchers may come up with similar studies on a larger scale – provincial, regional or national. Second, only food safety training as a construct was used as a moderator on the hypothesized relationships of the structural model. Other studies may expand and explore other moderating variables and/or mediating constructs that may affect the said hypothesized relationships.Practical implicationsBased on the present study, food safety knowledge was found to have a huge significant and direct influence on attitudes of fast-food restaurant food handlers towards food safety, as evidenced by the computed effect size. In short, knowledge on food safety is an integral factor when it comes to enhancing food safety attitudes of fast-food restaurant food handlers. When fast-food restaurant food handlers are well-equipped with the right food safety knowledge, they become more aware of the different food safety protocols and other pertinent food safety guidelines and procedures which can lead to favorable food safety attitudes.Social implicationsThe present study highlighted the moderating effect of food safety training on the relationship between attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices. Therefore, regular attendance of food handlers to food safety training is crucial in developing acceptable attitudes toward food safety, which in turn, favorably affect their food safety practices in fast-food restaurants.Originality/valueThe current study utilized PLS-SEM, a second-generation statistical technique, to measure the hypothesized relationships as compared to correlation tests performed by prior studies on the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices. PLS-SEM is suitable for this type of research design – predictive-causal – since this study involves model development and prediction. Furthermore, it employed moderation analysis to measure the moderating effects of food safety training on the identified hypothesized relationships of the structural model. Hence, methodologically, the present study employed new ways and insights in measuring the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices.

Food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in Slovenia

Food Control ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 1107-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojca Jevšnik ◽  
Valentina Hlebec ◽  
Peter Raspor
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Food Safety Knowledge Retention Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
NYALL HISLOP ◽  
KEARA SHAW
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
Foodborne Illness ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Certification ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Foodborne illness in Canada is an ongoing burden for public health and the economy. Many foodborne illnesses result from improper food handling practices. If food handlers had a greater knowledge of what causes foodborne illness, perhaps these illnesses would have less of an impact on society. This study gave researchers the opportunity to examine the current food safety knowledge of food handlers by using a standardized questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed by environmental health officers to food handlers working in the food service industry during on-site inspections, and responses were used to evaluate immediate knowledge of key food safety issues. Both certified and noncertified food handlers were evaluated. Information also was collected on the number of years since food safety certification was achieved and the number of years experience noncertified food handlers had in the food service industry. Results indicated that certified food handlers had a greater knowledge of food safety information than did noncertified food handlers. The highest failure rates were observed among noncertified food handlers with more than 10 years of experience and less than 1 year of experience. The results support the need for mandatory food safety certification for workers in the food service industry and for recertification at least every 10 years. Although the study was not sufficiently rigorous to evaluate existing food safety courses, data collected provided valuable insight into what issues should be emphasized in existing food safety courses and which should be targeted by future food safety initiatives.

scholarly journals Food Safety Knowledge and Hygienic Practices among Different Groups of Restaurants in Muscat, Oman

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Maryam Al-Ghazali ◽  
Ismail Al-Bulushi ◽  
Lyutha Al-Subhi ◽  
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman ◽  
Amani Al-Rawahi
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Group Iii ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Group I ◽  
Group Ii ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Food safety is vital to human beings as well as to the food industry. Therefore, knowledge and hygiene practice of food safety among food handlers are particularly important. Evaluation of food safety knowledge and hygienic practices among 18 restaurants in three different regions (i.e., districts) in the Governorate of Muscat was performed. In order to determine the quality level of restaurants, grouping (i.e., Region 1, Region 2, and Region 3; e.g., Group I, Group II, and Group III) was adopted from the regulations and assigned by the municipality based on the number of complaints against the restaurants. A questionnaire was designed to assess the knowledge of hygiene, food poisoning, food handling, cooking, and local regulations/rules of the food handlers in selected restaurants. The food handlers in the Region 1 restaurants showed significantly higher ( p < 0.05 ) overall knowledge (58.6%) in food safety as compared to Region 2 (52.1%) and Region 3 (53.2%). Overall knowledge of food handlers in Group I restaurants was significantly higher ( p < 0.05 ) (64.4%) as compared to Group II (53.1%) and Group III (48.1%). The hygiene practices in Group I restaurants were significantly higher ( p < 0.05 ) than those in Groups II and III. A small but significant inverse association ( r 2 = − 0.38 ) between total knowledge scores and hygiene practices was found. In conclusion, higher knowledge in the field is associated with better hygiene practices, and these are more likely to prevent food poisoning originating from restaurants. We recommend implementing specialized education courses and workshops for the food handlers as a requirement before embarking on service to decrease the risks of foodborne diseases.

scholarly journals Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes of Undergraduate Students at a Kenyan University: Results of an Online Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Imathiu
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Food Preservation ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Safety Knowledge ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes

A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire to assess food safety knowledge, beliefs and attitudes among Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology undergraduate students. A total of 329 learners consented to participate in the study. The results revealed that overall respondents answered 46.2% of the food safety knowledge questions correctly with similar scores across the five colleges (Agriculture and Natural Resources 47.4%, Human Resource and Development 45.2%, Engineering and Technology 46.7%, Health Sciences 45.4%, and Pure and Applied Sciences 46.5%). Over 70% of respondents seemed to have positive beliefs and attitudes in most of the food safety beliefs and attitudes statements. A 78.7% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that food safety knowledge is important to them while 72.1% and 77.7% of the respondents were willing to learn how to make their food safe to eat, and how to prevent food poisoning from occurring respectively. Only a small proportion (3.3%) of respondents felt that food safety was not their responsibility. The areas of most concern in food safety knowledge were in regard to cross-contamination and temperature control/food preservation. The proportions of correct responses on; “Imagine that your electricity went off and the meat, chicken, and/or seafood in your freezer thawed and felt warm. To prevent food poisoning, what should you do?”, “A refrigerator has three shelves, on which shelf do you think raw meat should be placed?” and “What should be done if the leftovers are still not eaten completely?” were 7.3%, 24% and 24.6% respectively. These results show that students who participated in this study generally had unsatisfactory food safety knowledge regardless of their study category. There is therefore a need to offer food safety education/training to all learners, perhaps in short courses forms and not only on theory, but also on practical food safety aspects to bridge the food safety information gap.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Food Safety Hazards among Street Food Handlers towards Sustainability of Food Industry

2020 ◽  
pp. 519-531
Author(s):  
Hayati Adilin Mohd Abd Majid ◽  
Mufida Syasnim Mohd Sa’ad ◽  
Norshafinas Mohd Noor ◽  
Noorazlin Ramli ◽  
Wan Nazriah Wan Nawawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Hazards ◽  
Street Food

scholarly journals Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Brazilian Food Truck Food Handlers

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lígia Isoni Auad ◽  
Verônica Cortez Ginani ◽  
Elke Stedefeldt ◽  
Eduardo Yoshio Nakano ◽  
Aline Costa Santos Nunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
Food Contamination ◽  
Food Handler ◽  
Foodborne Diseases ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Food And Water Samples ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Safety Knowledge

This study aimed to (i) compare the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices (KAP) and observed food safety practices of food truck (FT) food handlers, (ii) evaluate the microbiological quality of food and water samples collected from these vehicles, and (iii) establish a score classification for the KAP instrument according to the food contamination probability assessment. This study was conducted in three stages with 40 food truck food handlers conveniently sampled in the Federal District, Brazil, through structured interviews, application of an observational checklist for the assessment of handlers’ practices and the collection of food and water samples for determination of microbiological quality. FTs that are likely to exhibit food contamination and are at a high risk of foodborne diseases if at least one of the following situations occur: (1) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the knowledge section; (2) if a food handler scores ≤5 in the attitudes section; or (3) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the self-reported practices section. On the other hand, FTs in which handlers score higher than the cutoff points in all the sections are unlikely to exhibit food contamination and are at a low risk of foodborne diseases. The findings of this study are the first step to understand food handlers’ point of view and the initial diagnosis to guide educational strategies in the FT sector.

Food safety knowledge among food handlers in food service establishments in United Arab Emirates

Food Control ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 106968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadi Taha ◽  
Tareq M. Osaili ◽  
Nirmaljeet K. Saddal ◽  
Anas A. Al-Nabulsi ◽  
Mutamed M. Ayyash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Knowledge
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