Risk assessment: Foodhandling practices and food-contact surfaces of hawkers in Malaysia

Abstract

Risk assessment, as a supplement to epidemiological data, provides invaluable food safety assurance information to help prevent foodborne illnesses. A study of foodhandling practices (FHP) and food-contact surfaces (FCS) by methods of risk assessments was carried out in spring 1998. Aimed at determining the extent of risk concerns in FHP and FCS, 36 samples of three ethnic origins (Malay, Chinese and Indian) and in three designated hawker sites in Kuala Lumpur were pre-defined. The FHP were assessed based on 13 main constructs in three distinct areas of cleaning and cleanliness, personal hygiene and training and time/temperature control and cross-contamination. The FCS were assessed based on the contamination levels of work surfaces (WS), chopping boards (CB) and dishcloths (DC). The findings showed high concerns for FHP in general. FCS findings for the ethnic hawker foods showed high concern for Nasi Lemak , and moderate to high concerns for Char Koay Teow and Roti Canai . The FCS results were used in an attempt to validate the findings of the FHP. Pearson bivariate correlations, however, showed no association between FHP and FCS scores. Findings of this study provide: (1) useful risk indicators for three popular and traditionally ethnic hawker foods; (2) a yardstick for monitoring the hawkers using standardised risk assessment; and (3) useful feedback for the government/control authority on the need for intervention in the surveillance of hawkers and hawker foods.