<p>Food Hygiene Practices and Associated Factors Among Food Handlers Working in Food Establishments in the Bole Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia</p>

Abstract

Background: Consumers' health would be at risk unless food preparation and handling hygiene is ensured by food establishments. Literature indicates that poor food handling and sanitation practices are more common among food handlers in developing countries resulting in food-borne illness. Hence, food handlers can play a significant role in ensuring food hygiene. To this end, the paper aims to assess the level of food hygiene practices and its associated factors of food handlers working in food establishments in Bole sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Through across-sectional study design, a total of 394 food handlers selected randomly from food establishments have participated in the study. The data were collected between July and December 2017, through interview and observation. Percentage, cross tabulations, and logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. Results: The findings show that among 394 study subjects only 27.4% (i.e., 108 food handlers), were found to have good food hygiene practices. In other words, majority of food handlers observed were poor in maintaining food hygiene. Food hygiene practices were highly influenced by level score of favorable attitude (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.93, 7.87), extensive knowledge towards food hygiene (AOR= 3.33, 95% CI= 1.93, 5.76) and availability of water storage equipment at food establishments (AOR= 2.67, 95% CI= 1.38, 5.15). Conclusion: Food handlers had poor food hygiene practices in the study area. Shortages of a continuous water supply at food establishments, poor knowledge, and unfavorable attitude of food handlers towards food hygiene practice were all contributing factors associated with poor food hygiene practice. However, these can be improved through health education programs and environmental health services, such as periodic inspections, effective enforcement of food safety regulations, and enhancing the capacity of food hygiene regulators.

Self-Reported Food Safety Practices and Associated Factors Among Health Extension Model and Non-Model Households in Northeastern Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

“…In this study, a good attitude towards food safety was also a significant predictor of good food safety practices. This finding is in line with results from cross-sectional studies conducted in Bole Sub-city, Addis Ababa, 18 Northwest Ethiopia, 20 Debarq Town 29 and Debre Markos Town, Ethiopia, 31 Imo State, Nigeria, 27 Kuwait, 40 Lahore, Pakistan, 28 and Sarawak and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. 38 , 39 A possible reason for this association is that training in food safety measure packages leads to a good attitude, which may improve the behavior around and practice of food safety.…”

“…The odds of performing good food safety practices among the study participants who had good knowledge of food safety practices was 2.05 times higher than in respondents who had poor knowledge. This study finding was also seen in previous studies carried out in Shashemene Town, Central Ethiopia, 26 Bole Sub-city, Addis Ababa, 18 Debre Markos Town, Ethiopia, 31 Dangila Town, 30 Gondar City, 7 and Debarq Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 29 Ghana, 1 Imo State, Nigeria, 27 Bangladesh, 34 Jordan, 37 and Sarawak and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. 38 , 39 This association indicated that food safety practices are highly influenced by increasing knowledge scores regarding food safety.…”

“…The overall prevalence of good food safety practices among model and non-model households was 44.7% (95% CI: 40.5–48.4%) and this prevalence was higher than in studies carried out in Northwest Ethiopia (40.1%), 20 Bole Sub-city in Addis Ababa (27.4%), 18 Arba Minch Town (32.6%), 22 and West Arsi Zone (27.5%), Ethiopia, 26 Imo State, Nigeria (37%), 27 and Lahore, Pakistan (0.3%). 28 This difference may be due to the improvements in health extension service approaches and other community health education services as interventions during the time gap between the studies.…”

“…These were determined using six food safety practice measurement indicators; namely, always washing hands before food preparation, washing food utensils and/or food, using improved water sources to prepare food, storing food in a covered container, keeping cooked and raw food separately, and elevating the container to place food and catering utensils where a child cannot reach them. 5 , 17 , 18 Each criterion was given a value of 1 for a positive action of food safety practice or a correct response, and 0 for a negative action or an incorrect response. The sum of these assessment indicators was calculated and the mean score of all observations and interview questions was used as a cut-off point to categorize households into those having good or poor food safety practices.…”

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on the Risks of Food Poisoning in Collective Restaurants in the Kloto 1 Municipality, Togo

“…The socio-economic situation and rapid urbanization in developing countries, particularly Togo, have facilitated the emergence of new consumption patterns. With the exception of the home, collective catering services are the busiest places of consumption (Abdi et al, 2020). The formal sector, characterized by a much more modern catering industry in hotels, restaurants and canteens where people of a high standard of living, living and working in the cities, often feed themselves.…”