Evaluation of university students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices on food safety in Bolu, Türkiye

Abstract

This study aims to assess the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of university students in Türkiye. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 630 university students from the departments of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts (GCA), Food Engineering (FE), Nursing (NUR), and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation (PTR) in Bolu, Türkiye. The GCA students scored the highest (25.46 ±2.85) and the NUR students scored the lowest (21.81 ±3.27) on food safety knowledge. The GCA students scored the highest (51.42 ±5.58) and the NUR students scored the lowest (49.00 ±6.07) on food safety attitudes. The FE students scored the highest (10.12 ±1.69) and the NUR students scored the lowest (9.69 ±1.77) on food safety practices. The students who took a course on food safety had significantly higher scores on food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices than those who did not. Although the students' food safety scores were above average, they had a lack of knowledge and concerns in many areas. It was emphasized the importance of food safety education to fill the knowledge gaps and thus to prevent foodborne illnesses.

Keywords

• University students
• Food safety
• Knowledge
• Attitude
• Practice

References

1. Açıkalın, B. (2019). Knowledge, attitude and behavior of university students about food safety. Master of Science Thesis, Biruni University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, İstanbul.
2. Al-Shabib, N.A., Husain, F., Khan, J.M. (2017). Study on food safety concerns, knowledge and practices among university students in Saudi Arabia. Food Control, 73, 202-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.08.005
3. Avşar, İ.O. (2019). Determination of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of university students on food safety. Master of Science Thesis, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gaziantep.
4. Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Maurer, J., Wheatley, V., Schaffner, D., Bruhn, C., Blalock, L. (2007). Food safety self-reported behaviors and cognitions of young adults: Results of a national study. Journal of Food Protection, 70 (8), 1917-1926. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-70.8.1917
5. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). (2007). Bacterial foodborne and diarrheal disease national case surveillance, Annual report, 2005, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nationalsurveillance/pdfs/fbsurvsumm2005.pdf (accessed 31.10.2021)
6. Chuang, E., Thomas, M., Feng Y. (2021). Young adult food safety knowledge gaps and perceptions of roommates’ food handling practices: A survey of university students in Indiana. Food Control, 126, 108055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108055
7. Clayton, D.A., Griffith, C.J., Peters, A.C., Price, P. (2002). Food handlers’ beliefs and self-reported practices. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 12, 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603120120110031
8. Courtney, S.M., Majowicz, S.E., Dubin, J.A. (2016). Food safety knowledge of undergraduate students at a Canadian university: Results of an online survey. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1147. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3818-y Egan, M.B., Raats, M.M., Grubb, S.M., Eves, A., Lumbers, M.L., Dean, M.S., Adams, M.R. (2007). A review of food safety and food hygiene training studies in the commercial sector. Food Control, 18, 1180e1190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2006.08.001

9. Ergönül, B. (2013). Consumer awareness and perception to food safety: A consumer analysis. Food Control, 32, 461-471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.01.018
10. Erden, C. (2012). Food safety problems in Turkey and feasibility of educational methods in embracement of food security. Master of Science Thesis, Namık Kemal University, Institute of Science, Department of Agricultural Economics, Tekirdağ.
11. Ferk C.C., Calder, B.L., Camire, M.E. (2016). Assessing the food safety knowledge of university of Maine students. Journal of Food Science Education, 15, 14-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4329.12076
12. Food Safety News Site. (2015, September 15). Retrieved July 30, 2022, from https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/09/turkeys-food-safety-problems-magnified-by-unregistered-facilities/
13. Garayoa, R., Córdoba, M., García-Jalón, I., Sanchez-Villegas, A., Vitas, A.I. (2005). Relationship between consumer food safety knowledge and reported behavior among students from health sciences in one region of Spain. Journal of Food Protection, 68, 2631-2636. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-68.12.2631
14. Giritlioglu, İ., Batman, O., Tetik, N. (2011). The knowledge and practice of food safety and hygiene of cookery students in Turkey. Food Control, 22, 838-842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2010.09.016
15. Greig, J.D., Todd, E.C., Bartleson, C.A., Michaels, B S. (2007). Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in spread of foodborne disease, Part 1, Description of the problem, methods, and agents involved. Journal of Food Protection, 70 (7), 1752-1761. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-70.7.1752
16. Haapala, I., Probart, C. (2004). Food safety, perceptions and behaviours among middle school students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 36, 71-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1499-4046(06)60136-X
17. Hassan, H.F., Dimassi, H. (2014). Food safety and handling knowledge and practices of Lebanese university students. Food Control, 40, 127-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.11.040
18. Hobbs, B.C., Roberts, D. (2001). Food poisoning and food hygiene (Sixth edition). London: Arnold-Hodder Headline Group, ISBN 034053740X
19. İncedal-Sonkaya, Z., Elçin, B., Arif, A. (2018). University students food literacy and food safety knowledge, attitudes and behaviors “Example of Amasya University Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Health Services Vocational School”. Turkish Bulletin of Hygiene and Experimental Biology, 75(1), 53-64. https://doi.org/10.5505/TurkHijyen.2018.99710
20. İstanbullugil, F.R., Gürbüz, Ü. (2019). Determining the level of food safety awareness of university students in Bishkek; A case study. Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary and Life Sciences. 9(2), 85-90.
21. Jevsnik, M., Hlebec, V., Raspor, P. (2008). Consumers awareness of food safety from shopping to eating. Food Control, 19, 737-745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2007.07.017
22. Lange, M., Göranzon, H., Fleig, L., Marklinder M. (2018). Adolescents'sources for food safety knowledge and trust. British Food Journal, 120, 549-562. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-03-2017-0159
23. Lazou, T., Georgiadis, M., Pentieva, K., McKevitt, A., Iossifidou, E. (2012). Food safety knowledge and food-handling practices of Greek university students: A questionnaire-based survey. Food Control, 28, 400-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.05.027
24. Luo, X., Xua, X., Chena, H., Baie, R., Zhangf, Y., Houg, X., … Zhaoa, Y. (2019). Food safety related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among the students from nursing, education and medical college in Chongqing, China. Food Control, 95, 181-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.07.042
25. Madaki, M.Y., Bavorova, M. (2019). Food safety knowledge of food vendors of higher educational institutions in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Food Control, 106, 106703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.06.029
26. Marklinder, I., Ahlgren, R., Blücher, A., Ehn Börjesson, S-M., Hellkvist, F., Moazzami, M., … Danielsson-Tham, M-L. (2020). Food safety knowledge, sources thereof and self-reported behaviour among university students in Sweden. Food Control, 113, 107130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107130
27. Mcmichael, P., Schneider, M. (2011). Food security politics and the millennium development goals. Third World Quarterly, 32(1), 119-139. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2011.543818
28. Medeiros, L., Hillers, V., Kendall, P., Mason, A. (2001). Evaluation of food safety education for consumers. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 33(1), 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1499-4046(06)60067-5
29. Osaili, T.M., Obeidat, B.A., Jamous, D.O., Abu, B., Hiba A. (2011). Food safety knowledge and practices among college female students in north of Jordan. Food Control, 22, 269-276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2010.07.009
30. Ovca, A., Jevsnik, M., Raspor P. (2014). Food safety awareness, knowledge and practices among students in Slovenia. Food Control, 42, 144-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.01.036
31. Rössvoll, H., Lavik, R., Ueland, Ö., Jocobsen, E., Hagtvedt, T., Langsud, S. (2013). Food safety practices among Norwegian consumers. Journal of Food Protection, 76, 1939-1947. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-269
32. Sharif, L., Al-Malki T. (2010). Knowledge, attitude and practice of Taif university students on food poisoning. Food Control, 21, 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2009.03.015
33. Strateva, D., Odeyemi, O.A., Pavlova, A., Kyuchukovaa, R., Fatehic, F., Bamidele, F.A. (2017). Food safety knowledge and hygiene practices among veterinary medicine students at Trakia University, Bulgaria. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 10, 778-782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2016.12.001
34. Şanlier, N. (2009). The knowledge and practice of food safety by young and adult consumers. Food Control, 20(6), 538-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2008.08.006
35. Şanlıer, N., Konaklıoğlu, E. (2012). Food safety knowledge, attitude and food handling practices of students. British Food Journal, 114(4), 469-480. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701211219504
36. Tosun, D., Demirtaş, N. (2012). Türkiye’de kırmızı et ve et ürünleri sanayiinde gıda güvenliği sorunları ve öneriler. Journal of Agricultural Faculty of Uludag University, 26(1), 93-101.
37. Unklesbay, N., Sneed, J., Toma, R. (1998). College students’ attitudes, practices, and knowledge of food safety. Journal of Food Protection, 61(9), 1175-1180. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-61.9.1175
38. USDA (2021). Leftovers and Food Safety. Retrieved from https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety (accessed 31.12.2021).
39. WHO (2020). Food safety Key facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety (accessed 31.10.2021).