Table 3.
Evaluation of food safety attitudes of food handlers.
| Sr # | Question Statement | Variables | Responses (n) % |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Hot, ready-to-eat food should be kept at a temperature above 60 °C. | Yes | (154) 76.2 % |
| No | (16) 7.9 % | ||
| Not Certain | (32) 15.8 % | ||
| A2 | Prepared food should be kept in a refrigerator at 4 °C in order to keep it safe. | Yes | (144) 71.3 % |
| No | (11) 5.4 % | ||
| Not Certain | (47) 23.3 % | ||
| A3 | Food is more susceptible to the growth of microorganisms if it is prepared too much in advance. | Yes | (142) 70.3 % |
| No | (06) 3.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (54) 26.7 % | ||
| A4 | It is safe to smoke in an area where food is being prepared. | Yes | (09) 4.5 % |
| No | (176) 87.1 % | ||
| Not Certain | (17) 8.4 % | ||
| A5 | Food handlers can have long nails and wear jewelry on their hands. It does not pose any risk to the food being prepared. | Yes | (08) 4.0 % |
| No | (176) 87.1 % | ||
| Not Certain | (18) 8.9 % | ||
| A6 | Handling food safely is an important part of my job responsibility. | Yes | (179) 88.6 % |
| No | (10) 5.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (13) 6.4 % | ||
| A7 | Learning more about food safety is important to me and it can help me do my job better. | Yes | (179) 88.6 % |
| No | (08) 4.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (15) 7.4 % | ||
| A8 | The health status of workers should be evaluated before employment. | Yes | (129) 63.9 % |
| No | (02) 1.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (71) 35.1 % | ||
| A9 | Raw food should be kept separate from cooked food. | Yes | (189) 93.6 % |
| No | (04) 2.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (09) 4.5 % | ||
| A10 | Toxic chemicals and cleaning solutions should be stored at a safe distance from the food preparation area. | Yes | (199) 98.5 % |
| No | (03) 1.5 % | ||
| Not Certain | (00) 0.0 % | ||
| A11 | Defrosted food should not be refrozen. | Yes | (97) 48.0 % |
| No | (18) 8.9 % | ||
| Not Certain | (87) 43.1 % | ||
| A12 | Temperatures of refrigerators and freezers should be checked at regular intervals. | Yes | (107) 53.0 % |
| No | (03) 1.5 % | ||
| Not Certain | (92) 45.5 % | ||
| A13 | Food handlers with abrasion or cuts on hands should not touch unwrapped food. | Yes | (172) 85.1 % |
| No | (05) 2.5 % | ||
| Not Certain | (24) 11.9 % | ||
| A14 | Employees suffering from an illness should not be permitted to work in the food preparation area. | Yes | (154) 76.2 % |
| No | (10) 5.0 % | ||
| Not Certain | (38) 18.8 % | ||
| A15 | It is necessary to use antibacterial soap when washing hands. | Yes | (171) 84.7 % |
| No | (15) 7.4 % | ||
| Not Certain | (16) 7.9 % | ||
| A16 | Storage of food in refrigerators kills harmful microbes or germs. | Yes | (57) 29.2 % |
| No | (37) 18.3 % | ||
| Not Certain | (108) 53.5 % |
The correct responses were highlighted in bold format. A1-16 indicate food safety attitude-based questions.