Microbial Load of Chicken Shawerma and the Handlers’ Compliance with Food Safety Practices in Jordan

Background: Shawerma is a popular traditional food in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the shawerma handlers’ compliance with food safety practices and determine the microbial load and pathogenic organisms in the ready-to-eat chicken shawerma sandwiches in the restaurants of Amman, Jordan. Methods: This cross-sectional study used mixed methods including observational checklists to determine the compliance of food safety practices by 120 chicken shawerma handlers from 40 randomly selected restaurants in Amman. Additionally, pathogenic microorganisms were assessed by laboratory analysis in the ready-to-eat chicken shawerma sandwiches. Results: Only 2.5% and 10% complied, respectively, with separating knives and boards used for chicken from the ones used for vegetables. The compliance for maintaining proper temperatures for freezers and chillers were only 62% and 67%, respectively. As for hand-washing techniques and using disposable drying papers, the adherence was 5% and 7.5%, respectively. Laboratory analysis showed that 27.5% of the ready-to-eat shawerma had unacceptable levels of microorganisms. Conclusion: Our findings showed poor compliance of food safety practices in chicken shawerma restaurants of Amman. There is a need for capacity building and periodic evaluations of food handlers’ knowledge and practices within a comprehensive food safety program, carried out by qualified trainers. Keywords: chicken shawerma, food safety, Jordan

Implementation of Evidence-Based Patient Safety Practices: 4-Years’ Follow-up of a Nationwide Regulatory Intervention in Brazilian Hospitals

Background: Regulatory interventions are widely recommended to improve the quality of health services, but there are few studies on the possible models and their effects. The aim of this study is to describe the implementation process and analyse the results of a nationwide regulatory intervention for the implementation of patient safety practices.Methods: Four nationwide annual cross-sectional assessments were conducted in Brazilian hospitals with Intensive Care Unit beds. The participants involved all facilities operating during 2016-2019 (average N=1,989). The regulatory intervention theory aimed to increase adherence to safe evidence-based practices through national annual assessment involving a set of 21 validated structure and process indicators related to patient safety practices. At moment 1(Risk assessment), data were collected to classify hospitals according to the risk. In the sequence, the Sanitary Surveillance Centers (VISAS) carried out the analysis of the information sent by the hospitals. VISAS classified services into three groups according to compliance with the composite adherence indicator: High (67-100%); Medium (34-66%); and Low Compliance (0-33%). Moment 2 (Risk management) used responsive actions according to the hospital’s classification. Results: The intervention resulted in six annual cyclic stages and, between 2016-2019, 782 (40.1%), 980 (49.0%), 1,093 (54.3%) and 1,255 (61.8%) hospitals participated, respectively. 17 of the 20 indicators with at least two measurements had a significant improvement after national interventions (p<0.05). The overall percentage of compliance increased from 70.7 to 84.1 (p<0.001) and the percentage of hospitals with high compliance increased from 59.1 to 83.0 (p<0.001).Conclusion: The regulatory intervention used was a good tool to strengthen the information system and government actions to promote patient safety. The set of low-cost interventions seems to be useful to prioritise hospitals at higher risk and to induce responsive measures to implement patient safety practices in the evaluated context, promoting the efficiency of the regulatory process.

Is the construction site a safer place under the USACE or local government guidelines? The case of Afghanistan

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the safety level of construction sites in Afghanistan following the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) safety practices and compare this with other construction sites in Afghanistan that follow local government safety guidelines. The USACE oversees and funds many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and these projects are supposed to follow the same standards implemented in the USA, including safety standards. The local government of Afghanistan also funds infrastructure projects in Afghanistan; however, these do not follow USACE best practices. This research explores the question of whether the USACE standards provide a safer construction site. The effect of the USACE standards on safety practices in construction projects is also investigated in the Afghanistan construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and other safety checklists were used to develop a safety checklist containing 104 items (questions) in 17 categories. Subsequently, the checklist was used to assess the safety performance of 57 construction projects (25 USACE projects, and 32 governmental projects). Utilizing quantitative analysis, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out for correlation and statistical disparity between USACE and governmental projects.FindingsThe safety performance level of Afghan government projects was found to be poor in relation to other developing countries, while in USACE projects it was excellent. In addition, fire prevention, safety administration, PPE, heavy equipment, and handling and storage of materials for all types of contractors were the most overlooked aspects of Afghan Government projects.Practical implicationsThe findings clearly demonstrate the deficiencies in construction sites observed during this study and also support the adoption of USACE standards in Afghanistan projects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the safety of construction sites in Afghanistan. The study also demonstrates the benefits of adopting international standards (USACE) to improve the safety of construction sites in a developing country such as Afghanistan. The findings provide evidence of the safety of the Afghanistan construction industry compared to other developing countries. These findings will contribute to the Afghan Government's efforts to track injury statistics.

Standard Food Safety Practices From Receiving to Cleaning in the Restaurant

Transmission of hazardous materials could be aggravated by inappropriate handling and storage practices. This results in cross-contamination to foodstuff or cooking utensils. The introduced hazards in the food supply chain might lead to client and reputation loss. The implementation of food safety is necessary to secure safety concerns. All employees should take initiative to be aware and have good attitudes regarding proper hygiene and sanitary practices to assure their product integrity and safety for human consumption. Therefore, this chapter delivered the appropriate and standard food safety protocols to all individuals involved in food storage, preparation, and serving. The scope was structured into (1) identification of hazardous ingredients, (2) purchasing and receiving raw materials, (3) transporting and storage, (4) cooking and reheating, (5) food serving and displaying, (6) leftover storage, and (7) cleaning and sanitation.

Use of Face Masks in India During COVID-19 : An Exploration of the Behavioral Tendencies of Mask Users

Covid-19 has necessitated mask use to safeguard oneself from coronavirus. The mask usage and safety practices followed by the public in India are reported in this paper. Sixty per cent of the subjects purchased masks on their own while 19 per cent stitched their masks; masks were used regularly (76%) for less than 4 hours (64.22%). During the lockdown, at workplaces, masks were removed for less than 30 minutes per day. Subjects reported that safety feeling was experienced when masks were donned (87%); felt that masks were unnecessary in Covid-19 unaffected areas/cities (67 %); whilst 47 per cent admitted to pulling down masks during use. An interesting fact emerging from the study was that the younger populace adhered less conscientiously to regular mask use as opposed to the elderly; paradoxically the elderly (49 and above) were the ones to pull down masks more frequently during use than the younger ones. Amongst them, 25 per cent repeated it 1-2 times a day. It was heartening to observe that most people (89%) exercised caution during mask use. A positive significant relationship existed between age and employer modes on regular mask usage; a highly positive significant relation was seen between the employment sector and regular mask use and a negative correlation among profession and mask use. Two-way ANOVA between demographic data on type and regular mask use yielded a significant difference. A highly significant relationship between gender, employer mode, and profession on different types of safety measures; and a significant relationship between the level of education and safety measures were found.

Assessing Consumer Awareness and Opinion Toward Food Safety Practices and Policies in the Maldives

The Maldives relies completely on imported food for its staples such as rice, flour, and sugar. It is reported that the Maldives produces less than one-tenth of its overall food requirements. Due to its huge dependence on imported food products, Maldives is exposed to a high risk of contaminated food and foodborne illnesses caused within the supply chain. This chapter aimed to investigate the level of awareness among the public of the Maldives relating to food safety practices in the food industry. An online survey was developed and administered to the consumers in the Maldives. A total number of 369 usable responses were analyzed statistically. The findings highlight that even though there was a high level of awareness of the participants towards food safety in general, participants were poorly aware of the activities and the consumers' roles in the food safety practices. This study serves as a baseline study for future research in this area, particularly in the Maldives.