Assessment of food safety knowledge, attitude, practices of food handlers and microbial contamination in foods at the canteens of a University in Pakistan

Abstract

Developing nations are striving to assure food safety that rely mainly upon handling procedures. The current study focused upon the understanding level and practices of food handlers working at various canteens of University of the Punjab, Quid-i-Azam campus, Lahore. Different canteens were selected where 300 different food handlers were judged for their approach towards food safety through a closed ended questionnaire. Samples of different food products were also taken randomly for their microbiological safety evaluation. The whole data was analyzed using chi-square to assess the proportion of correct and incorrect responses among various parameters. The non-significant variation was observed among the knowledge, attitude and practices scores of university and its hostels’ canteens food handlers. Overall, 60% of the responses were correct from the university and hostel canteens food handlers. Similarly, 50-60% of the responses regarding attitude and practices were correct from the university and hostel canteen food handlers. With many technical flaws, these food handlers showed moderate level of knowledge. Not only apprentices but the supervisors too, lacked the basic knowledge of temperature as major factor creating potential food safety threats. Lack of knowledge about personal hygiene and workplace sanitation were few contributing factors towards heedless behavior. Incidence of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus contamination in food samples was found 29% and 57%, respectively, while 35% food samples were found contaminated with E. coli. It further exposed the negligence, emphasizing proper training of employees as part and parcel of food safety procedures. It was concluded that more training programs along with periodic validation of food manufacturing standards are required to ensure food safety. Furthermore, strict surveillance and implementation of GMPs by the administrative authorities are needed to safeguard the consumers’ health.

Determinants of food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in Bangladesh: An institution-based cross-sectional study

“…Similar findings have been discovered in prior studies [ 9 , 39 ]. However, the findings differed from those of a Pakistan-based study [ 7 ]. For example, 25% of 300 food handlers at the University of Punjab's various canteens still do not use soap when washing their hands, and 55.9% do not wear proper uniforms while on the job.…”

“…This study reported that workers had moderate knowledge (59.7%) and practice (50%), which is slightly lower than the findings of the current study [ 22 ]. The findings are in line with earlier research in Pakistan (60.0% knowledge and 58.0% practice) [ 7 ], Malaysia (61.7% knowledge and 53.2% practice) [ 37 ], Lebanon (59.2% knowledge and 83.2% practice) (although practice score was higher) [ 9 ], and lower than Sudan (70.1% knowledge and 74.4% practice) [ 38 ]. The discrepancies reported among studies may be ascribed to disparities in study design, study sites, cutoff thresholds, training, and the accessibility of information pertaining to food hygiene and safety.…”

“…However, both commercial and non-commercial foodservice outlets, including universities and hospitals, face challenges in ensuring food safety. Foodborne illnesses in these settings result from factors like poor cooking practices, extended food preparation-to-consumption times, inadequate heat treatment, infectious personnel, contaminated materials, subpar equipment cleaning, cross-contamination, and low-quality ingredients, including food residue [ 7 ].…”

“…Numerous studies conducted worldwide have explored the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of institutional food handlers in various countries; for instance, Ghana [ 3 ], Kenya [ 8 ], Pakistan [ 7 ], Lebanon [ 9 ], Saudi Arabia [ 10 ], Malaysia [ 11 ], Ethiopia [ 12 ], and India [ 13 ]. Some studies have identified noteworthy connections between knowledge of food safety and various sociodemographic factors including age, food safety training, level of education, work experience, and the type of institution [ 9 , 10 , 13 ].…”

Evaluasi Sistem Jaminan Keamanan Pangan di Restoran Multicabang PT XYZ Area Jakarta

“…Sikap yang tepat dari pekerja dapat mengurangi wabah yang ditularkan melalui pangan. Penularan mikroben patogen dapat dikurangi dengan menerapkan prinsip higiene yang baik dan penanganan pangan yang benar (Ali et al 2022).…”