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Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers

Year 2019, Volume: 30 Issue: 1, 7 - 12, 25.03.2019

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate food handlers' knowledge regarding personal hygiene and food safety. A total of 200 food handlers from 30 independent food businesses in Kars, Turkey has been questioned in this survey. The score criterion for the answers was one (1) point for each correct response and zero (0) point for the false and “Do not know” answers. The questionnaires having 29 points were scored with 5. The knowledge of the respondents who got ≥3 was considered as adequate. Most of the participants were male (66.5 %) and mainly under the age of 24 (42.5 %) or between the age of 25-34 (33.5 %). Nearly half of the participants (46.5 %) had high school education (11 years). Only 25 % of the workers who were mainly cooks declared that they had attended to a food safety training course. Seventy six percent of the respondents were waitress/waiter. Almost half (43%) of the food handlers got ≤2.9 (out of 5 points) point which indicated that they did not have adequate knowledge about personal hygiene and food safety. Male workers were more successful at the questionnaire while age had not a significant effect. Personal hygiene, cross-contamination, thawing frozen meat and reheating of foods were the sections in which the respondents gave false answers frequently. The knowledge of participants neither about food safety nor personal hygiene is enough to prepare or serve safe food. But it was observed that education level and attending training courses had a positive effect on responding questions correctly.

 

References

  • Abdul-Mutalib N-A, Abdul-Rashid M-F, Mustafa S, Amin-Nordin S, Hamat RA, Osman M (2012). Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food hygiene and sanitation of food handlers in Kuala Pilah, Malaysia. Food Cont, 27, 289-293.
  • Abushelaibi AM, Jobe B, Afifi HS, Mostafa B-E, Murad AA, Mohammed AK (2015). Evaluation of the effect of person-in-charge (PIC) program on knowledge and practice change of food handlers in Dubai. Food Cont, 50, 382-392.
  • Audit Commission (1990). Environmental Health Survey of Food Premises. HMSO, London.
  • Ansari-Lari M, Soodbakhsh S, Lakzadeh L (2010). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers on food hygienic practices in meat processing plants in Fars, Iran. Food Cont, 21, 260-263.
  • Baş M, Ersun, AŞ, Kıvanç G (2006). The evaluation of food hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers' in food businesses in Turkey. Food Cont, 17, 317-322.
  • Bean NH, Griffin PM (1990). Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States 1973-1987: pathogens, vehicles and trends. J Food Prot, 53, 804-817.
  • Buccheri C, Mammina C, Giammanco S, Giammanco M, La Guarda M (2010). Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices of food service staff in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Food Cont, 21, 1367-1373.
  • Burch NL, Sawyer CA (1991). Food handling in convenience stores: the impact of personnel knowledge on facility sanitation. J Environ Health, 54, 23-27. Clayton DA, Griffith CJ, Price P, Peters AC (2002). Food handlers' beliefs and self-reported practices. Int J Environ Health Res, 12, 25-39.
  • Clingman CD (1977). Food service management certification: the NIFI program. J Food Prot, 40, 196-197.
  • Cruickshank JG (1990). Food handlers and food poisoning: training programs are best. Brit Med J, 300, 207-208.
  • Domínguez C, Gómez I, Zumalacárregui J (2002). Prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in retail chicken meat in Spain. Int J Food Microbiol, 72, 165-168. Ehiri JE, Morris GP (1994). Hygiene training and education of food handlers: does it work? Ecol Food Nutr, 6, 341-345.
  • Griffith CJ, Worsfold D, Mitchell R (1998). Food preparation, risk communication and the consumer. Food Cont, 9 (4), 225-232.
  • Jevsnik M, Hlebec V, Raspor P (2008). Food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in Slovenia. Food Cont, 19, 1107-1118.
  • Jianu C, Chiş C (2012). Study on the hygiene knowledge of food handlers working in small and medium-sized companies in western Romania. Food Cont, 26, 151-156.
  • Jianu C, Golet I (2014). Knowledge of food safety and hygiene and personal hygiene practices among meat handlers operating in western Romania. Food Cont, 42, 214-219.
  • Kitcher C (1994). Case for food hygiene training. J Environ Health (June), 139-140.
  • Liu S, Liu Z, Zhang H, Lu L, Liang J, Huang Q (2015). Knowledge, attitude and practices of food safety amongst food handlers in the coastal resort of Guandong, China. Food Cont, 47, 457-461.
  • Martins RB, Ferreira, D, Moreira LM, Hogg T, Gestal J (2014). Knowledge on food hygiene of food service staff working in nursing homes and kindergartens in Porto region-Portugal. Food Cont, 42, 54-62.
  • Martins RB, Hogg T, Otero JG (2012). Food handlers' knowledge on food hygiene: The case of a catering company in Portugal. Food Cont, 23, 184-190.
  • McIntyre L, Vallaster L, Wilcott L, Henderson SB, Kosatsky T (2013). Evaluation of food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported hand washing practices in FOODSAFE trained and untrained food handlers in British Columbia, Canada. Food Cont, 30, 150-156.
  • Osaili TM, Abu Jamous DO, Obeidat BA, Bawadi HA, Tayyem RF, Subih HS (2013). Food safety knowledge among food workers in restaurants in Jordan. Food Cont, 31, 145-150.
  • Oteri T, Ekanem EE (1992). Food hygiene behaviour of hospital food handlers. Public Health, 18, 97-100.
  • Pichler J, Ziegler J, Aldrian U, Allerberger F (2014). Evaluating levels of knowledge on food safety among food handlers from restaurants and various catering businesses in Vienna, Austria 2011/2012. Food Cont, 35, 33-40.
  • Rennie DM (1995). Health education models and food hygiene education. J Royal Soc Health (April), 75-79.
  • Rippel B (2002). Consumer knowledge about food safety revealed. Washington, DC: Consumer Alert.
  • Sağlam ÖF (2000). Türk Gıda Mevzuatı, Semih Ofset, Ankara.
  • Sani NA, Siow ON (2014). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers on food safety in food service operations at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Food Cont, 37, 210-217.
  • Seaman P, Eves A (2008). Food hygiene training in small to medium-sized care settings. Int J Environ Health Res, 18(5), 365-374.
  • Soares LS, Almeida RCC, Cerqueira ES, Carvalho JS, Nunes IL (2012). Knowledge, attitudes and practices in food safety and presence of coagulase-positive staphylococci on hands of food handlers in the schools of Camaçari, Brazil. Food Cont, 27, 206-213.
  • Taylor EA (1996). Is food hygiene training really effective? J Environ Health, 104, 275-276.
  • Taylor JH, Brown KL, Toivenen J, Holah JT (2000). A microbiological evaluation of warm air hand driers with respect to hand hygiene and washroom environment. J Appl Microbiol, 89, 910-919.
  • Tebbutt GM (1992). An assessment of food hygiene training and knowledge among staff in premises producing or selling high risk foods. Int J Environ Health Res, 2, 131-137.
  • Todd EC, Greig JD, Bartleson CA, Michaels BS (2007). Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 2. Description of outbreaks by size, severity, and settings. J Food Prot, 70 (8), 1975-1993.
  • Travis HR (1986). Training for seasonal food service operators. J Environ Health, 48, 265-267. Walker E, Pritchard C, Forsythe S (2003). Food handlers' hygiene knowledge in small food businesses. Food Cont, 14, 339-343.
  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2000). Food borne disease - a focus for health education (1st Edition). Geneve, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

Gıda İşçilerinin Gıda Güvenliği Hakkındaki Bilgilerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Year 2019, Volume: 30 Issue: 1, 7 - 12, 25.03.2019

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, gıda işçilerinin kişisel hijyen ve gıda güvenliği bilgilerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, Kars'ta yer alan 30 farklı işletmeden 200 gıda işçisi anket yoluyla sorgulanmıştır. Her bir doğru yanıt için bir (1), yanlış veya "Bilmiyorum" yanıtları için sıfır (0) puan verilmiştir. Tam 29 puan alanlar beş (5) ile skorlanmıştır.  Buna göre ≥3 ve üzeri skora sahip olanların bilgisi "Yeterli" olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Profil sonuçlarına göre katılımcıların çoğunluğunun (%66,5) erkek ve 24 yaş altı (%42,5) ya da 25-34 yaş arasında (%33,5), yaklaşık yarısının (%46,5) lise mezunu, sadece %25'inin gıda güvenliği eğitimi almış ve %76'sının garson olduğu görülmüştür. Ankete katılanların neredeyse yarısı (%43) ≤2.9 ile skorlanmıştır ki bu kişisel hijyen ve gıda güvenliği konusunda yetersiz olduklarına işaret etmiştir. Erkekler daha fazla başarı gösterirken yaş etkili bulunmamıştır. En fazla yanlış yanıta, kişisel hijyen, çapraz kontaminasyom, dondurulmuş etlerin çözünmesi ve gıdaların yeniden ısıtılması kategorilerinde rastlanmıştır. Katılımcıların genel olarak gıda güvenliği ve kişisel hijyen konularında, güvenli gıda hazırlayıp servis edecek yeterlikte bilgiye sahip olmadığı görülmüştür. Ancak eğitim seviyesi ve gıda güvenliği eğitimlerinin doğru cevaplar vermede olumlu etki gösterdiği ortaya konmuştur.

References

  • Abdul-Mutalib N-A, Abdul-Rashid M-F, Mustafa S, Amin-Nordin S, Hamat RA, Osman M (2012). Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food hygiene and sanitation of food handlers in Kuala Pilah, Malaysia. Food Cont, 27, 289-293.
  • Abushelaibi AM, Jobe B, Afifi HS, Mostafa B-E, Murad AA, Mohammed AK (2015). Evaluation of the effect of person-in-charge (PIC) program on knowledge and practice change of food handlers in Dubai. Food Cont, 50, 382-392.
  • Audit Commission (1990). Environmental Health Survey of Food Premises. HMSO, London.
  • Ansari-Lari M, Soodbakhsh S, Lakzadeh L (2010). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers on food hygienic practices in meat processing plants in Fars, Iran. Food Cont, 21, 260-263.
  • Baş M, Ersun, AŞ, Kıvanç G (2006). The evaluation of food hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers' in food businesses in Turkey. Food Cont, 17, 317-322.
  • Bean NH, Griffin PM (1990). Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States 1973-1987: pathogens, vehicles and trends. J Food Prot, 53, 804-817.
  • Buccheri C, Mammina C, Giammanco S, Giammanco M, La Guarda M (2010). Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices of food service staff in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Food Cont, 21, 1367-1373.
  • Burch NL, Sawyer CA (1991). Food handling in convenience stores: the impact of personnel knowledge on facility sanitation. J Environ Health, 54, 23-27. Clayton DA, Griffith CJ, Price P, Peters AC (2002). Food handlers' beliefs and self-reported practices. Int J Environ Health Res, 12, 25-39.
  • Clingman CD (1977). Food service management certification: the NIFI program. J Food Prot, 40, 196-197.
  • Cruickshank JG (1990). Food handlers and food poisoning: training programs are best. Brit Med J, 300, 207-208.
  • Domínguez C, Gómez I, Zumalacárregui J (2002). Prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in retail chicken meat in Spain. Int J Food Microbiol, 72, 165-168. Ehiri JE, Morris GP (1994). Hygiene training and education of food handlers: does it work? Ecol Food Nutr, 6, 341-345.
  • Griffith CJ, Worsfold D, Mitchell R (1998). Food preparation, risk communication and the consumer. Food Cont, 9 (4), 225-232.
  • Jevsnik M, Hlebec V, Raspor P (2008). Food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in Slovenia. Food Cont, 19, 1107-1118.
  • Jianu C, Chiş C (2012). Study on the hygiene knowledge of food handlers working in small and medium-sized companies in western Romania. Food Cont, 26, 151-156.
  • Jianu C, Golet I (2014). Knowledge of food safety and hygiene and personal hygiene practices among meat handlers operating in western Romania. Food Cont, 42, 214-219.
  • Kitcher C (1994). Case for food hygiene training. J Environ Health (June), 139-140.
  • Liu S, Liu Z, Zhang H, Lu L, Liang J, Huang Q (2015). Knowledge, attitude and practices of food safety amongst food handlers in the coastal resort of Guandong, China. Food Cont, 47, 457-461.
  • Martins RB, Ferreira, D, Moreira LM, Hogg T, Gestal J (2014). Knowledge on food hygiene of food service staff working in nursing homes and kindergartens in Porto region-Portugal. Food Cont, 42, 54-62.
  • Martins RB, Hogg T, Otero JG (2012). Food handlers' knowledge on food hygiene: The case of a catering company in Portugal. Food Cont, 23, 184-190.
  • McIntyre L, Vallaster L, Wilcott L, Henderson SB, Kosatsky T (2013). Evaluation of food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported hand washing practices in FOODSAFE trained and untrained food handlers in British Columbia, Canada. Food Cont, 30, 150-156.
  • Osaili TM, Abu Jamous DO, Obeidat BA, Bawadi HA, Tayyem RF, Subih HS (2013). Food safety knowledge among food workers in restaurants in Jordan. Food Cont, 31, 145-150.
  • Oteri T, Ekanem EE (1992). Food hygiene behaviour of hospital food handlers. Public Health, 18, 97-100.
  • Pichler J, Ziegler J, Aldrian U, Allerberger F (2014). Evaluating levels of knowledge on food safety among food handlers from restaurants and various catering businesses in Vienna, Austria 2011/2012. Food Cont, 35, 33-40.
  • Rennie DM (1995). Health education models and food hygiene education. J Royal Soc Health (April), 75-79.
  • Rippel B (2002). Consumer knowledge about food safety revealed. Washington, DC: Consumer Alert.
  • Sağlam ÖF (2000). Türk Gıda Mevzuatı, Semih Ofset, Ankara.
  • Sani NA, Siow ON (2014). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers on food safety in food service operations at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Food Cont, 37, 210-217.
  • Seaman P, Eves A (2008). Food hygiene training in small to medium-sized care settings. Int J Environ Health Res, 18(5), 365-374.
  • Soares LS, Almeida RCC, Cerqueira ES, Carvalho JS, Nunes IL (2012). Knowledge, attitudes and practices in food safety and presence of coagulase-positive staphylococci on hands of food handlers in the schools of Camaçari, Brazil. Food Cont, 27, 206-213.
  • Taylor EA (1996). Is food hygiene training really effective? J Environ Health, 104, 275-276.
  • Taylor JH, Brown KL, Toivenen J, Holah JT (2000). A microbiological evaluation of warm air hand driers with respect to hand hygiene and washroom environment. J Appl Microbiol, 89, 910-919.
  • Tebbutt GM (1992). An assessment of food hygiene training and knowledge among staff in premises producing or selling high risk foods. Int J Environ Health Res, 2, 131-137.
  • Todd EC, Greig JD, Bartleson CA, Michaels BS (2007). Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 2. Description of outbreaks by size, severity, and settings. J Food Prot, 70 (8), 1975-1993.
  • Travis HR (1986). Training for seasonal food service operators. J Environ Health, 48, 265-267. Walker E, Pritchard C, Forsythe S (2003). Food handlers' hygiene knowledge in small food businesses. Food Cont, 14, 339-343.
  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2000). Food borne disease - a focus for health education (1st Edition). Geneve, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
There are 35 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Veterinary Surgery
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Nebahat Bilge 0000-0002-5229-9847

Pınar Demir

Publication Date March 25, 2019
Submission Date July 5, 2018
Acceptance Date November 21, 2018
Published in Issue Year 2019 Volume: 30 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Bilge, N., & Demir, P. (2019). Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers. Van Veterinary Journal, 30(1), 7-12.
AMA Bilge N, Demir P. Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers. Van Vet J. March 2019;30(1):7-12.
Chicago Bilge, Nebahat, and Pınar Demir. “Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers”. Van Veterinary Journal 30, no. 1 (March 2019): 7-12.
EndNote Bilge N, Demir P (March 1, 2019) Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers. Van Veterinary Journal 30 1 7–12.
IEEE N. Bilge and P. Demir, “Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers”, Van Vet J, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 7–12, 2019.
ISNAD Bilge, Nebahat - Demir, Pınar. “Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers”. Van Veterinary Journal 30/1 (March 2019), 7-12.
JAMA Bilge N, Demir P. Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers. Van Vet J. 2019;30:7–12.
MLA Bilge, Nebahat and Pınar Demir. “Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers”. Van Veterinary Journal, vol. 30, no. 1, 2019, pp. 7-12.
Vancouver Bilge N, Demir P. Evaluation of Food Safety Knowledge Among Food Handlers. Van Vet J. 2019;30(1):7-12.

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