Consumers’ Attitudes and Constraints towards Food Safety and Hygiene Practices in Ludhiana City

Abstract

The study attempted to analyse the consumers’ attitudes towards food safety and hygiene practices. Further, an effort was made to analyse the constraints towards food safety and hygiene practices. A total of 200 consumers were randomly selected. The results of the study revealed that street food is not good for health (2.96), followed by food poisoning may occur after consumption of street food (2.28), it is important to follow hygiene practices (1.60) and contamination may occur due to poor hygiene practices (1.60) to maintain food safety and hygiene practices. Four factors came out from the study that confines consumers toward food safety and hygiene practices i.e. food safety knowledge and training, food poisoning, hygiene practices and food contamination. Lack of knowledge, adulterated food and poor hygiene practices were major constraints faced by consumers. The study also recommended that education and training programs on food safety and hygiene practices help create awareness among consumers.