Food Safety Practices and Contributing Factors Among Food Handlers in Food Establishments in Ethiopia

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Introduction: Food safety practices cannot be overstated since these practices directly impact public health by preventing food-borne illnesses. Despite global advancements, gaps persist in local food safety practices, particularly in under-resourced regions where knowledge, training, and infrastructure may be limited. This study aimed to assess food safety practices and determinant factors among food handlers in food establishments in Bako town in 2023. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 19 to September 16, 2023, involving 325 randomly selected food handlers who participated in face-to-face interviews using pre-tested structured questionnaires and observational checklists. The collected data were coded and entered into Epi Data version 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. Results: A total of 319 food handlers participated, yielding a response rate of 98.2%. The findings indicated that only 30.4% of food handlers demonstrated good food handling practices. Key factors associated with improved practices included a strong knowledge of food safety, prior training in food safety protocols, and a positive attitude toward food safety. Conclusions and Recommendations: This study highlights the critical need to enhance the knowledge of food handlers by providing on food handling protocols and fostering positive attitudes among food handlers toward food safety practices. Recommendations include implementing targeted interventions within food safety practices by focusing on education, training, and attitude development via collaboration with local authorities and different stakeholders in the town.