Improving food handlers knowledge about food safety in Ismailia city hospitals, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Food-borne diseases become of paramount importance in hospitals. Hospitals have been identified as high food safety risk institutions because they serve potentially hazardous foods to vulnerable people. These people are more susceptible to food-borne illnesses than the general population and consequently food contamination by pathogens could be particularly harmful.Aim of This Study: was to prevent the development of food borne illnesses and its consequences on hospitalized patients.Methods: This quasi experimental study was conducted on 132 workers in food catering services in Ismailia city hospitals to assess the effects of an educational program about food safety on the following main outcome measures knowledge, attitude and practice of food handlers about food safety. Data were collected by using a predesigned questionnaire adapted from WHO including two components: the first one to assess the baseline level of knowledge and attitude while the other one is an observational checklist to evaluate their practices about food safety and food hygiene before and after the intervention.Results: The overall knowledge scores increased significantly between (9.2±5.3) before the intervention and (18.5±3.9) after the intervention with p value (P