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. 2025 Aug 22;25:2902. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23973-w

Table 3.

Food-handling practice compliance rates of male food handlers with different demographic characteristics working in catering service establishments (%)

Variable Age (years) Average monthly income (CNY) Work experience (years) Catering unit type Catering unit scale Food safety training
18 ~ 29 30 ~ 39 40 ~ 49  ≥ 50  < 3,000 3,000 ~ 4,999 5,000 ~ 6,999  ≥ 7,000  < 1 1 ~ 2 3 ~ 4 5 ~ 6 7 ~ 8  ≥ 9 Collective canteens Restaurants Small Medium Large No Yes
Total 176 216 240 16 144 181 267 56 32 120 80 40 112 264 156 492 64 304 280 64 584
Q11. Often immediately refrigerate cold dishes prepared in advance for later consumers
 Yes 47.2 52.8 63.7 50.0* 72.9 47.0 51.3 55.4** 43.8 36.7 56.3 62.5 56.3 63.3** 53.2 55.9 59.4 63.2 45.7** 53.1 55.5
Q12. Often use plastic wrap to cover food before refrigerating them
 Yes 72.2 85.2 76.3 75.0* 68.8 86.2 85.8 39.3** 62.5 69.2 90.0 52.5 79.5 83.7** 73.7 79.5 32.8 78.9 87.5** 17.2 84.8**
Q13. Often store perishable foods at 8–60 ℃ in the indoor environment after cooking and before eating
 No 34.1 42.6 37.5 37.5 37.5 43.6 37.5 26.8 28.1 36.7 42.5 27.5 40.2 39.8 43.6 36.6 37.5 37.2 39.6 29.7 39.2
Q14. Often thoroughly process foods and cook them well
 Yes 72.2 73.6 77.5 68.8 70.8 77.3 75.7 69.6 75.0 71.7 76.3 60.0 78.6 75.8 75.0 74.4 78.1 73.0 75.4 57.8 76.4**
Q15. Often immediately process raw food materials thawed using a microwave oven
 Yes 67.6 78.7 78.8 62.5* 79.2 72.4 76.4 69.6 68.8 70.8 73.8 67.5 68.8 82.6* 67.9 77.6* 79.7 74.3 75.4 71.9 75.7
Q16. Often reheat cooked perishable foods stored at 8–60 ℃ for more than 2 h before eating
 Yes 61.9 56.0 57.5 25.0* 50.0 61.9 58.8 55.4 53.1 62.5 55.0 42.5 56.3 59.1 57.1 57.5 45.3 51.6 66.4** 48.4 58.4
Q17. Often use packaged food beyond its shelf-life
 No 83.5 94.4 86.3 100.0* 79.9 98.3 88.0 82.1** 100.0 89.2 96.3 60.0 98.2 84.8** 92.3 87.4 75.0 87.8 92.5** 34.4 94.5**
Q18. Often use food additives beyond their scope and usage limits
 No 89.8 94.9 92.9 100.0 81.9 98.3 97.0 83.9** 75.0 98.3 97.5 75.0 100.0 90.9** 93.6 92.7 100.0 87.8 96.8** 48.4 97.8**
Q19. Often use unlabeled prepackaged food
 No 81.8 96.3 86.3 93.8** 86.1 100.0 87.6 62.5** 71.9 90.8 98.8 70.0 100.0 84.5** 89.1 88.4 75.0 87.5 92.9** 25.0 95.5**
Q20. Often using recycled food as a raw material for new food production
 No 96.0 91.7 95.0 81.3* 90.3 95.0 94.4 96.4 93.8 98.3 98.8 72.5 96.4 92.4** 93.6 93.9 95.3 93.1 94.3 93.8 93.8

* P < 0.05

** P < 0.0Level and associated factors of food-handling practices