Food Safety Training Research Articles

Food Safety Awareness and Proper Hygiene among Food Vendors

Proper hygiene practices among food vendors are crucial in ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses. Although food vendors play a critical role in the food supply chain, foodborne illnesses and food contamination can result from inadequate hygiene practices. This study aimed to assess the food safety awareness and hygiene practices of street vendors in Digos City. Eventually, data was collected from 150 randomly selected food vendors, and answered the adopted questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. The study used a descriptive-comparative research design to determine the awareness level of food vendors on food safety and proper hygiene. Based on the findings, the level of awareness on food safety is high. It indicates that food safety standards are consistently upheld across food vendors. While, the level of food hygiene among food vendors was described as high, thus, this indicates that the food hygiene among food vendors is well practiced and relatively evident. Findings also revealed that there was a significant difference between food safety awareness and proper hygiene practices among vendors when analyzed by profile. Hence, the study suggests that improving food safety and hygiene standards in Digos City can lead to a reduction in foodborne diseases and overall public health by implementing food safety training for vendors and must undergo regular inspections of city health office.

Artful Instruction: Refining TVET Pedagogy on Food Safety Requirements

Food safety is a critical issue in the culinary industry, and culinary students as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) practitioners must understand the importance ofadhering to food safety requirements. However, there are several challenges in ensuring students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements are accurate and effective. These issues include the complexity of food safety regulations, the varyinglevels of understanding among students, and the limited resources available to culinary programs to provide comprehensive training. This study explores vocational culinary students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements. The research employs quantitative design research, using surveys to collect data from 120 students enrolled in culinary programs at vocational schools in Johor, Malaysia. The study aims to understand how students view their adherence to food safety protocols and how their training and education shape their perceptions. This study is structured as a survey employing a distribution of questionnaires to find culinary students in Johor, Malaysia views compliance with food safety requirements in terms of food safety training, food safety rules, food safety standards, and license compliance with food safety standards. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to compute the survey responses' mean value, standard deviation, and frequency. All of the responses to the research questions got a high mean score. The results reveal that most students understand food safety practices well, but there needs to be more knowledge and implementation of some critical protocols. Furthermore, the study revealed that vocational students' general perceptions of food safety laws regarding food safety rules had the highest mean value, indicating that this is the most influential factor in persuading how culinary students in Johor, Malaysia perceive compliance with food safety standards. These findings have implications for culinary education programs and the food service industry, suggesting that more attention should be paid to providing students with comprehensive training in food safety practices to ensure safe and healthy food preparation.

Nutritional quality and diversity in Ghana’s school feeding programme: a mixed-methods exploration through caterer interviews in the Greater Accra Region

BackgroundThe Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) provides public primary school pupils with a free daily meal. Each meal is expected to follow set menus, providing 30% of children’s’ (6-12 years) energy requirements. This study assessed the nutritional quality and diversity of planned and provided GSFP meals, engaging school caterers to identify how meal quality in the Greater Accra Region could be enhanced.MethodsA cross-sectional mixed methods study design was used. Multistage sampling was used to select 129 schools implementing the GSFP in six districts of the Greater Accra Region. GSFP district menus were collected as well as a one-week school caterer recall of provided school meals. The meal served on the day of data collection was recorded and photographed. Nutritional quality was evaluated based on nutrient profiling methods: energy density (low<125kcal/100g; medium 125-225kcal/100g; high>225kcal/100g) and nutrient density (low<5%; medium 5-10%; high>10%). Meal diversity was assessed by a simple count composed of 5 food groups: cereals, pulses/nuts/seeds, animal-source, vegetables and fruits. Caterers’ views on programme facilitators and barriers were also explored.ResultsPlanned menus included 14-20 weekly options, composed of eight minimally processed traditional dishes. All meals, except white rice, had a high nutrient density/100g. Energy density was varied (low, n=2; medium, n=2; high, n=4). Meals included only 2/5 or 3/5 food groups, mainly starchy staples, pulses/nuts/seeds, and sometimes vegetables. Fruit was never reported. About half of caterers (51.1%) reported deviating from the planned menus: 11.7% served alternative meals, with some including animal-sourced food (17.0%), and 39.4% repeated meals provided during the week, often based on starchy staples, influencing overall nutritional quality. Most caterers reported food item cost and lack of food purchase guidelines as barriers to providing school meals, while food safety training and guidelines for food preparation were facilitators.ConclusionsWhile school meals are composed of minimally processed, nutrient dense, local foods, there are notable gaps in meal diversity and compliance, as reflected in provided meals. Caterer compliance to planned menus varied greatly, reflecting recent food price inflation. Upwardly adjusting the current meal allocation of 1.2 cedis (0.22USD) per child per day could enhance access to more affordable, nutritious and diverse foods in school meals.

Street Food: Hygiene Practices and Knowledge Among Food Hawkers Towards Customer Satisfaction

Street food has become an important element of people's diets since it is easily accessible and affordable in urban areas, and it is woven into our modern lifestyle. However, many street food hawkers do not possess formal education and often lack basic knowledge and practices regarding food safety. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the hawkers' hygiene knowledge and review the hawkers' hygiene practices in relation to customer satisfaction. Content analysis is used on 32 journals published from the past five years worldwide to review how hawkers’ hygiene knowledge and hawkers’ hygiene practices have affected customer satisfaction. As a result, it was discovered that most of the hawkers did not attend food safety training and did not have a high level of food hygiene and safety knowledge. Furthermore, it was found that most of the hawkers did not practice proper personal hygiene, especially in handwashing washing practices. The findings also indicated that customer satisfaction is influenced by hawkers' hygiene practices, specifically personal hygiene, cleanliness of their premises and equipment, and food hygiene. The study concluded that hygiene knowledge and practices among hawkers should be emphasized to produce good and safe food for customers to consume. Future researchers are encouraged to broaden the data collection to include more respondents who can provide a more general perspective on the issues.

Food safety profile of university food handlers in Bangladesh: A multicenter cross-sectional study

The current study aimed to explore the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of university food handlers in Bangladesh. To achieve this goal, a cross-sectional study was formulated to be carried out among food handlers at different public universities. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face interviews utilizing a structured questionnaire. A total of 788 food handlers participated in the study and were considered for performing all the statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, MannWhitney U test, KruskalWallis H test, multiple logistic regression, and Spearman rankorder correlation). According to the study findings, almost 20.7 % of food handlers lacked formal education, and only 22.8 % had participated in food safety training. Approximately 31.5 % and 28.4 % of the food handlers had good knowledge and good practices, respectively. The majority of the food handlers had poor knowledge about foodborne diseases and foodborne pathogens. Most food handlers had poor hand hygiene practices. Almost all food handlers did not wear caps, gloves, aprons, or masks while handling food. However, despite of having poor knowledge and practices, food handlers (69.8 %) had comparatively good attitudes toward food safety practices, which indicates that adequate support and motivation from food safety authorities can significantly improve preventive practices among them. Therefore, it is recommended that food safety authorities accelerate their activities and arrange hand-based training and educational programs for food handlers to enhance food safety knowledge and practices.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Food Handlers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background: Several outbreaks of foodborne illness have recently occurred in Saudi Arabia, posing a public health concern, especially considering the increasing trend of food consumption at restaurants. Objectives: This study evaluates the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices among food handlers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and their association with the food handlers’ sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed for a convenience sample of 80 food handlers (15–65 years old), followed by face-to-face interviews. A validated questionnaire with 65 questions across four sections (sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to food safety) was utilized for data collection. Data entry and analysis were conducted using the SPSS version 26 software. Results: Most of the participants exhibited moderate levels of food safety knowledge and practices and a high level of food safety attitudes. Food safety knowledge was significantly greater among the oldest participants (&gt;45 years old), those holding valid health cards, and those who had attended training courses (p&lt;0.05). However, no significant differences in food safety attitudes and practices were found based on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (p&gt;0.05). Food safety knowledge was found to be significantly correlated with the food safety attitudes of the participants (r= 0.379, p= 0.001), and food safety attitudes were significantly correlated with practices (r= 0.264, p= 0.018). Conclusion: This study revealed that continuous implementation of food safety educational and training programs is necessary to improve the knowledge of food handlers and transform it into appropriate attitudes and practices.

Structural Modeling of Food Safety Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Food Handlers in Highway Tourist Stop-Over Food Service Establishments in Uganda

The study examines the socio-demographic characteristics, food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers in highway tourist stop-over food service establishments in Uganda. The study further explores the relationship between the above factors using the Structural Equation Model (SEM). Understanding food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers can inform future interventions toward food safety assurance in food service establishments. The study used a cross-sectional design and data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 22 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). Approximately half of the respondents had adequate knowledge of food safety and good practices. The results from SEM confirmed that food safety knowledge significantly affected practices (β= 0.37 p&lt;0.05), attitude insignificantly, and negatively affected practices (β= -0.04 p&gt;0.05). Only 13.3% of the changes in practices were explained by the knowledge and attitudes of the respondents (R-squared 0.133). The majority of the food handlers were males, had experience of more than 2 years, attended food safety training, and had limited knowledge about Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). The study is the first of its kind in Uganda. The findings suggest that future interventions should look beyond food safety knowledge and attitudes of the food handlers in food safety assurance efforts.

Inadequate food safety knowledge and hygiene practices among street food vendors in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Food safety remains a critical issue with outbreaks of foodborne illness. The knowledge gap of food safety and improper hygienic practices of food handlers are the key factors for the transmission of foodborne diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the level of food safety knowledge and practices among street food vendors in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, and its implications on consumers’ health. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 respondents in seven areas of Dhaka City. Trained data collectors gather data by interviewing street vendors using a pretested questionnaire. Most of the vendors (98%) were male, with 48% having secondary education and 85% having no food safety training. Although about 89% of the vendors were found to practice hand washing, only a small proportion of them practised using hand gloves while handling raw products (5.6%), cleaning tables (2.2%), preparing foods (1.3%) or handling garbage (0.9%). The education level of the vendors and their work experience were significantly correlated with their hand washing practice, wearing hand gloves and their knowledge about food-borne illnesses. The study demonstrated that formal education played a significant role in vendors’ knowledge and practice of health safety measures for food handlers to prevent foodborne illness. Effective food safety training and monitoring are needed to increase vendors' knowledge and practices, and in reducing foodborne diseases.

Food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers at a public Sudanese university

The study was conducted to evaluate food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers in twenty-four food premises at nine campuses of Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST), Khartoum State, Sudan. A structured questionnaire about demographic characteristics, food safety knowledge and practices of one hundred and five respondents was used. Data showed that 95.2% of respondents were Sudanese; 99% were males, the majority were singles, 43.8% were university graduates, 64.8% were in the age group 20-30 years, 100% had good knowledge regarding the importance of maintaining a clean environment in food premises, preparing food in a safe way, danger of food poisoning and 95.4% agreed that it is their responsibility to prevent food poisoning. Food handlers had in general satisfactory practices of personal hygiene; however, 64.8 to 69.5% had some poor practices, particularly not wearing clean aprons, masks, gloves and hair nets. Among the respondents 68.6% received basic training in food safety. The study suggests that mandatory food safety education and training should be organized to strengthen food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and practices in food safety areas which are either weak or lacking. The HACCP system should be implemented in food premises at the university campuses.

Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge Among Fresh Produce Growers and Extension Workers Before and After Training in Nepal

Access to safe food, including safe fresh produce, is essential to ensure healthy food and diets for the households and communities. However, there is limited awareness of food safety at household levels in Nepal. Food safety educational programs bridge the knowledge gap in addressing food safety. A pre- and post-assessment study was conducted during food safety trainings in five cities of Nepal to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of the trainings. Data from 102 fresh produce growers and 100 extension workers was collected through pre- and post- training responses. Questionnaires featuring 15 food safety statements were administered to the participants before and after the training. Then subsequent comparative analysis was done using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test, Mann Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The scores across subgroups: gender, age, respondent type and location were evaluated to test the significant differences. We found that the median knowledge score (indication of the knowledge or awareness level) elevated from 9.00 to 11.00 after the training. Our analysis suggested a statistically significant increase in food safety knowledge following the trainings (p&lt;0.001). We found significant differences in the pre- and post-knowledge scores by gender (p&lt;0.001), respondent type (p=0.005) and location (p&lt;0.001). Our findings suggest that the targeted trainings to growers and extension workers could be an effective tool in enhancing food safety knowledge.

Hygiene Practices and Factors Associated With Hygiene Practice Among Meat Handlers at Butcher Houses and Restaurants in Gambela Town, Southwest Ethiopia

Meat contamination during slaughter and sale affects 600 million people globally annually, leading to diseases and 420,000 deaths. However, evidence on hygienic practices in low-income countries, particularly in Ethiopia, limits the extent of this problem, highlighting the need for research on hygienic practices. The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of meat hygiene practices and factors associated with poor practices among food handlers in Gambela town, Ethiopia. The study was an institution-based, cross-sectional study among food handlers. A total of 422 participants were chosen at random using systematic sampling. Data were collected using structured questions through interviews and observations. The study analyzed the prevalence of good hygiene practices and factors associated with meat hygiene practices using binary logistic regression. Statistical significance was determined using adjusted odds ratios, 95% confidence interval, and p-value of .05, and the model was checked using Hosmer and Lemeshow tests. The study result shows that good hygiene practices were only 40.6% (36.0–45.6) among meat handlers at butcher houses and restaurants in Gambela town. Low hygiene practices were significantly associated with the education level of food handlers (AOR: 2.5, 95%CI [1.17–5.41]) and meat hygiene training (AOR: 5.1, 95%CI [2.55–10.23]). Therefore, intensive food safety training for the workers, engaging educated professionals in food safety services, and mitigating the health risks and consequences of contamination demand intervention in the setting.

Determinants of Food Safety Practices in Food Handlers: A Literature Review

Food safety is an effort to ensure food is safe for consumption, free from physical, chemical, and biological hazards, so that there is no risk of it causing disease if consumed. Creating these conditions is closely related to food safety practices among food handlers. It is necessary to control food safety practices that can be carried out if the determining factors are known in advance. Thus, this study aims to summarize and describe the determinants of food safety practices among food handlers based on previous research articles. This study uses the literature review method to identify research articles that are relevant to the research objectives. The keywords used are "food safety practices" and "food handler" from the PubMed, SAGE, and Wiley databases. Search articles using the PRISMA method. Of the 974 identified articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria and research objectives. The results obtained identified 12 variables related to food safety practices, namely food safety knowledge (7 articles), education level (6 articles), food safety training/courses (5 articles), attitudes towards food safety (4 articles), household income/wealth household (3 articles), work experience (2 articles), sanitation facilities (2 articles), work status (1 article), marital status (1 article), ethnicity (1 article), and registered food seller (1 article). It can be concluded that the dominant determinants of food safety practices among food handlers are knowledge of food safety, level of education, food safety training or courses, attitudes towards food safety, household income or wealth, work experience, and sanitation facilities.

Bacterial foodborne illness and Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain infection among asymptomatic food handlers in Northeast Ethiopia: Implication for hygienic practices and mass-screening.

Food-borne illness is a public health concern in developing countries because of improper food handling and sanitation practices, irregular medical checkups, lack of clean water supplies, and inadequate education among food handlers. This study investigated the burden of bacterial food-borne illness, antibiotic resistance patterns, and associated factors among food handlers in prison and nonprison food establishment settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2022 to January 2023 among asymptomatic food handlers in Shewa Robit town. A total of 384 food handlers participated. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Stool and hand swab samples were collected and cultivated onto MacConkey agar, xylose-lysine-deoxycholate, Mannitol salt agar, and blood agar, and incubated at 37°C. Bacterial species were identified using biochemical tests and gram staining. Mueller-Hinton agar was used in Kirby Bauer's disk diffusion method. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis were performed. Fecal and hand carriage rate of bacterial isolates were 106 (27.6%), and 214 (55.7%), respectively. Out of the 102 bacterial isolates, the most common ones from stool samples were Escherichia coli 71 (18.5%), Klebsiella aerogenes 12 (3.1%), and Salmonella spp. 7 (1.8%). Among 214 bacterial isolates, coagulase-negative Staphylococci 115 (29.9%) and Staphylococci aureus 66 (17.3%) were identified from hand swab samples. Hand washing practice after restroom with water (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-3.45), irregular medical checkups (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.35-4.59), and did not receive food safety and hygiene training (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.34-4.05) were statistically significant association with food-borne illness. Foodborne pathogens pose a serious health risk in the study areas. The level of antimicrobial resistance are also concerning. Food handlers should therefore get strict regular health education, medical checkups, and training programs to prevent the spread of infections to the customers.

Towards a risk-based food safety management system in the fresh produce supply chain in Da Nang, Viet Nam

Food safety has emerged as a paramount concern for both Vietnamese consumers and the government. However, limited data are available on food safety management systems in Viet Nam. This study identified significant gaps in good agricultural and hygienic practices along the fresh produce chain (farmers and traditional wholesalers/market sellers) in the region of Da Nang, Viet Nam. This was achieved through a survey on good agricultural and hygienic practices for farmers (n = 100) and sellers (n = 100), which researchers further supplemented by microbiological analysis for E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes on leafy greens, water in contact with produce and contact surfaces (hands). The results indicated that 86.0 % of farmers and 54.0 % of sellers received food safety training in the last 3 years; and women dominated both vegetable cultivation but also trading. Farm-level deficiencies included inadequate handwashing practices, lack of documentation for manure application schedules, improper washing and drying of harvest tools, failure to keep containers elevated off the ground, improper storage of vegetables, and inadequate covering of containers, with respectively 34.0 %, 30.3 %, 12.1 %, 41.7 % and 7.9 % of farmers executing the practice as prescribed by the WHO/FAO ‘5 keys of growing safer fruits and vegetables’. As for sellers, the most dominant gaps (<50.0 % compliance) were the way of handwashing and the practice of keeping containers elevated off the ground before, during, and after harvesting. The microbiological analysis confirmed that, in a total of 36 fresh produce samples including mustard greens, cucumber, lettuce, and crown daisy, the number of samples positive for E. coli, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes were 12, 2, and 10 respectively. Samples of hands and the irrigation water showed high contamination with E. coli. Based on identified gaps, risk communication tools were developed and distributed amongst farmers, sellers, and Da Nang food safety management authority (governmental organisation performing inspections in the traditional food markets). As intervention, two farmers and two sellers were trained in safe agricultural practices for the cultivation of fresh vegetables (managerial intervention) and instructed to use tap water as irrigation water instead of uncontrolled surface water (technological intervention). A post-assessment was conducted, including redoing the survey on good practices and microbiological analysis. The outcome of these interventions showed positive results in terms of good agricultural and hygienic practices resulting in improved hygiene levels and safety of the fresh produce. The findings from this research have the potential to provide a model for the development of a science-based risk management strategy in alternative food chains or geographic areas in emerging countries.

Specific Personal Hygiene Procedures and Practices in Food Handlers—A Cross-Sectional Study in Butcher and Fishmonger Shops in Almada

Good manufacturing practices play an important role in obtaining safe food and preventing foodborne diseases. To achieve this goal, food handlers must receive appropriate training to be aware of their responsibilities. In this work, compliance with specific personal hygiene requirements by food handlers was assessed in a cross-sectional study of traditional small retail establishments, namely butcher (n = 56) and fishmonger (n = 17) shops in Almada, Portugal. Food handlers (n = 140, of which 113 worked in butcher shops, and 27 worked in fishmonger shops) were interviewed for data collection, and retail establishments were audited considering specific hygiene requisites. In fishmonger shops, most food handlers are women (89%), aged 18 to 45 years (70%), with a high school degree, having worked for less than 5 years in this activity, while in butcher shops most food handlers are men (90%) over 45 years old (58%), with a basic education level, and more than 26 years of experience. Most food handlers (&gt;95%) attended recent food safety and hygiene training courses and were able to recognize that hand sanitizers cannot replace a proper hand wash, and to identify Staphylococcus aureus transmission routes to food. However, approximately 23% of retail establishments failed to provide hot water in the handwashing basin and exhibited improper placement of handwashing instructions. Furthermore, these establishments did not implement corrective actions following non-conforming microbiological results of hand hygiene monitoring. These findings reinforce the need for consistent management commitment, and for providing food handlers with regular training, which is crucial for maintaining a strong food safety and hygiene culture in these traditional small retail establishments.

Food safety knowledge, hygiene practices among food handlers, and microbiological quality of animal side dishes in contract catering

Food poisoning is a major concern in catering services in Indonesia, with multiple outbreaks being reported in factories and offices. This study aimed to assess the level of food safety knowledge, personal hygiene practices, and microbiological quality of chicken and egg dishes at three catering companies in the Yogyakarta Special Region of Indonesia, which provide mass catering for workers. From March to July 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted using validated questionnaires, observation checklists, and microbiological tests to measure the parameters of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Pearson and Rank-Spearman correlation tests, as well as independent sample t-tests, were used for statistical analysis. The study revealed that 75% of the subjects had limited knowledge of food safety, with only 5% having a good understanding. Furthermore, 95% of the subjects had not received any food safety training, resulting in poor hygiene practices among the food handlers. Although there was no significant correlation between food safety knowledge and hygiene practices (p&gt;0.05), certain practices, such as appearance and hand washing, were significantly correlated with age. Employment duration was negatively correlated with food safety knowledge (p=0.027; r=-0.494). While chicken samples were free from E. coli and S. aureus, one egg sample was found to be contaminated with E. coli. The research emphasizes the significance of providing frequent food safety training to food handlers, ideally every year. Additionally, it recommends conducting larger sample studies and collaborating with government agencies for future research.

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

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.

Socioeconomic constraints on low‐income individuals' perceptions toward food safety

AbstractFood safety has emerged as a critical concern in Vietnam, posing a significant threat to public health due to the prevalence of unsafe foods in the market. Among those most vulnerable to contaminated foods, low‐income individuals are significantly affected. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of food safety among this demographic, utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches, including focus groups, survey questionnaires, and behavioral experiments using steamed bun as a stimulus. Participants were generally from low‐income classes with certain variations in household monthly income. Results from focus groups and the survey highlighted that the factors influencing food purchases included perception of safety, sensory properties, and acceptable pricing. The behavioral experiment revealed that participants with lower incomes were more inclined to select foods containing unsafe chemicals. In conclusion, the study underscored the heightened vulnerability of low‐income individuals to unsafe foods, with their perception of food safety bounded by socioeconomic status.Practical ApplicationsThe study highlights the high risk of contaminated food consumption among low‐income individuals in Vietnam, intensified by economic struggles and heightened vulnerability to food insecurity. With this demographic relying on regulations for their health, urgent actions are needed. Governmental policymakers should focus on implementing food safety educational campaigns, promoting affordable and safe alternatives, and providing food aid to economically disadvantaged communities. Mandatory food safety training programs for street food vendors, food handlers, and small businesses, coupled with regular safety practice monitoring, can play a crucial role in mitigating serious consequences. In addition, the research methodologies employed in this study, especially the behavioral experiment approach, can serve as valuable tools for researchers in the field of consumer behavior, enabling them to attain valid and reliable results.

Tracking progress on antimicrobial resistance by the quadripartite country self-assessment survey (TrACSS) in G7 countries, 2017–2023: opportunities and gaps

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses serious challenges to the healthcare systems worldwide. Multiple factors and activities contribute to the development and spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. Monitoring progress in combating AMR is fundamental at both global and national levels to drive multisectoral actions, identify priorities, and coordinate strategies. Since 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) has collected data through the Tracking AMR Country Self-Assessment Survey (TrACSS). TrACSS data are published in a publicly-available database. In 2023, 71 (59.9%) out of 177 responding countries reported the existence of a monitoring and evaluation plan for their National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR, and just 20 countries (11.3%) the allocation of funding to support NAP implementation. Countries reported challenges including limited financial and human resources, lack of technical capacity, and variable political commitment. Even across the Group of Seven (G7) countries, which represent some of the world's most advanced economies, many areas still need improvement, such as full implementation of infection prevention and control measures, adoption of WHO access/watch/reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics, effective integration of laboratories in AMR surveillance in the animal health and food safety sectors, training and education, good manufacturing and hygiene practices in food processing, optimising pesticides use and environmental residues of antimicrobial drugs. Continuous and coordinated efforts are needed to strengthen multisectoral engagement to fight AMR.

Evaluation of the Effects of Food Safety Training on the Microbiological Load Present in Equipment, Surfaces, Utensils, and Food Manipulator's Hands in Restaurants.

Training food handlers is essential to ensure food safety. However, the efficacy of training programs relying solely on theoretical information remains uncertain and often fails to induce significant changes in inadequate food practices. Training programs in good hygiene and food safety practices that integrate theoretical and practical approaches have emerged as a vital tool, enabling food handlers to apply their knowledge during work hours and clarify doubts. This study aimed to assess the impact of food safety training based on theoretical and on-the-job training on the microbiological counts of equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler (FH) hands. The hygiene and food safety conditions of four restaurants were analyzed through facility checklists, employee questionnaires, and microbiological analyses conducted before and after training. Eight sample collection moments were conducted at each restaurant before and after training. The pre-training results indicate that 15% and 26% of analyses for Enterobacteriaceae and total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMB), respectively, did not comply with hygiene safety limits. Additionally, 31% and 64% of Enterobacteriaceae and TMB values, respectively, exceeded safety limits on food handler hands. Positive cases of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) resulted from unprotected wounds on some FH hands. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in drains was also identified as a concern. Following training, significant differences in results were observed. In many cases, there was a reduction of over 80% in microbial load for Enterobacteriaceae and TMB collected from equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler hands. The presence of L. monocytogenes in drains was also eliminated after food safety training. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of effective training in improving food safety practices.