Abstract
Foodborne illnesses are a widespread and growing public health concern worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, practices, and risk perception pertaining to food safety among females living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was undertaken consisting of 827 female participants between January to April 2020. The study showed that the overall food safety risk perception was below satisfactory (53.3%). The highest score was seen in the “recognition of foodborne illnesses” aspect (76.7%). The participants were aware of “personal hygiene and cleaning” (61.7%), “cross-contamination prevention” (62.5%), “food purchasing” (60.0%), and “storage of frozen foods” (55.6%). The participants had a low level of knowledge pertaining to “food cooking” (26.0%) and “risk of microbiological infection” (13.3%). There was a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) association between knowledge and practices of respondents with employment status, age, and educational levels. In conclusion, the female respondents might act as vehicles for the spread of foodborne illnesses. To reduce this risk, providing food safety awareness programs to this portion of the population is paramount.
Highlights
Foodborne illnesses are caused due to the consumption of contaminated food or drink
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, more than 91 million cases of foodborne outbreaks and 420,000 deaths are associated with foodborne diseases each year [2]
Thereby, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge and practices pertaining to food safety amongst females living in Dubai (UAE)
Summary
Foodborne illnesses are caused due to the consumption of contaminated food or drink. Foodborne outbreaks could result in significant economic losses and are a global public health concern [1,2,3]. The microbiological contaminants causing foodborne illnesses could be bacterial, viral, or parasitic in nature [5]. The severity of the disease varies from case to case; in advanced stages, it may result in meningitis, incurable disabilities, and cancer [5]. Considering their substantial impact, countries all over the world are making great efforts to reduce the impact of foodborne outbreaks [7]
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