Hygiene Of Food Handlers Research Articles

Quantitative analysis of knowledge, attitude and practice of workers in chicken slaughter slabs toward food safety and hygiene in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

IntroductionIn low- and middle-income countries, chicken serves as a cheap source of protein and an income source for many households. It is particularly important in the capital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where chicken is regularly consumed. However, hygiene standards are very low, posing a significant public health risk.MethodsTo better understand the food safety situation, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of the hygienic practices of 155 randomly selected chicken slaughter outlets and carcass shops with a semi-structured questionnaire.Results and discussionOf the outlets visited, 59% are not licensed, and 63% are not regularly inspected, operating in the dominant, largely unregulated informal sector. More than 80% of the chickens are sourced from village production systems, but around 6% of the birds die during transport. The monetary loss due to chicken death during transportation is around four million USD annually. Market hygiene is poor; 86% of the holding pens have no hard floor and are not washed regularly. Almost all (92%) chickens are slaughtered on bare earth floors; bleeding, plucking, and evisceration are done on a wooden table that is rarely washed. On average, the same scalding water is used for 33 birds, seven scalded at a time. Most respondents (49%) thought that plucking and evisceration were the major cause of contamination of carcasses with foodborne pathogens. Most operators only washed their hands and knives with tap water at the beginning of the slaughtering process. Some shops use refrigerators and freezers to store carcasses before selling. However, they store carcasses with other foods like fish, beef and vegetables, facilitating further cross-contamination. There were rats (26%), cats (39%) and dogs (30%) present at outlets, roaming for food, especially roadside outlets. Training schemes on hygienic food handling practices were favoured by outlets as an approach to improve matters; however, improvements in food safety will be limited without significant upgrades in infrastructure and facilities. Slaughter slabs need a standard house with stable energy, adequate airflow, clean water, toilets, detergents and freezers. Also, they need equipment like knives, tables and dishes made of high-quality, easy-to-clean materials.

Relationships between Knowledge, Sanitation and Hygiene of Food Handlers, and Food Safety in the Restaurants in Pasir Panjang, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Background: The hygiene factor of the food handler or manager, commonly called personal hygiene, is a very important procedure in maintaining the cleanliness of safe and healthy food management. Hygiene procedures are clean behaviors to prevent contamination of the managed food. This study aimed to determine sanitation hygiene behavior based on food handlers' know¬ledge on food safety at restaurants in the working area of the Pasir Panjang Puskesmas (Commu¬nity Health Center). Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional study were conducted in the working are of Pasir Panjang Health center, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara in December, 2022. A total of 47 restaurants were selected for this study. The dependent variable was food safety. The independent variables were the knowledge and sanitizing hygiene attitude of the handler. The data were collected using questionnaires, and analyzed using Chi-square. Results: There is a significant relationship between knowledge (p< 0001) and behavior (p< 0.001) with food handler hygiene and food safety. Conclusion: knowledge and behaior were associated with food handler hygiene and food safety. Keywords: knowledge, behavior, food handlers, food sanitation hygiene.

Prevalence and characterisation of Bacillus cereus in cooked rice retailed in Ilara-mokin, Nigeria

Bacillus cereus is widely distributed in different food products and causes a variety of symptoms associated with food poisoning. Rice has been suggested as a vehicle for contamination and being involved in B. cereus intoxication. Based on the aforementioned risks, studies of Bacillus cereus incidence along with its isolation and characterization are essential to establishing the safety of cooked rice. Using the selective culture technique, pure isolates of Bacillus cereus strains were characterized and identified based on cultural, and biochemical features. Characterization was done on the ability of the bacterial strains to hydrolyse casein and starch, ferment lactose, and lyse red blood cells (haemolysis). Out of the 47 samples screened, 45 isolates were detected in 14 samples. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that all isolates showed resistance to Ampicillin (10 μg), but were susceptible to Erythromycin (15 μg), Vancomycin (30 μg), Tetracycline (30 μg), Ampicillin (10 μg), Gentamicin (10 μg), and Chloramphenicol (30 μg). 62.2%, 64.4%, 0% and 46.7% were capable of producing amylase, protease, ferment lactose and lyse red blood cells respectively. This study shows that 14 samples out of 47 samples of cooked rice in this work has the possible risk of foodborne infections/ intoxication that occurs as a result of the possibility of the development of B. cereus in favourable conditions and consumption of these products. Basically, prevention is by proper handling of raw materials, controlling the temperature of cooking and storing rice, and personal hygiene of food handlers.

Strategi pengelolaan kantin sehat

This study aims to (1) analyze the factors of physical environmental conditions and sanitation in realizing a healthy canteen (2) analyze the behavior of food handlers in realizing a healthy canteen on the Riau University campus (3) analyze policies related to efforts to create a healthy canteen on the Riau University campus (4) analyze the formulation of strategies and recommendations to realize a healthy canteen on the Riau University campus. This research was conducted in 8 canteens at the Riau University Campus, Pekanbaru City, which are located at the Bina Widya Campus, Gobah Campus and Diponegoro FK Campus. The tools and materials in this study used in this study were the meter, luxmeter, questionnaire, interview sheet which was used to measure the variables studied, by filling out the question sheet. This study uses a quantitative descriptive design approach, to obtain factors of environmental conditions and sanitation as well as food handler behavior. Data collection techniques used in this study were questionnaires, interviews and observations. Data on factors of physical environmental conditions were taken by observation, including canteen sanitation facilities and canteen equipment sanitation. Data on the hygiene factors of food handlers were taken by means of questionnaires and observations. The data taken include personal hygiene of food handlers, nail hygiene, use of aprons and shoes when cooking and hand washing habits. All data will be compared with the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1096/MENKES/PER/VI/2011 concerning Food and Service Sanitation Hygiene. The entire data that has been collected is tabulated in a table and analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel software.Based on the research data, it is known that from the sanitation indicators assessed, some canteens still cannot meet the requirements to realize a healthy canteen. the results of the assessment of the behavior of food handlers amounted to 8 people, there were 4 (50%) respondents who behaved less well, 4 (50%) respondents behaved quite well and no respondents behaved very well. Bad behaviors include not washing hands after defecating, not using PPE such as headgear and aprons, and smoking behavior. And there is still a lack of knowledge of handlers about healthy canteens, and knowledge related to sanitation and hygiene. The quadrant position for the healthy canteen management strategy at the UNRI campus based on the IFAS value of 1.33 and the EFAS value of 1.23 lies in quadrant I or the SO strategy. SO strategy is an aggressive strategy that uses internal strengths to take advantage of external opportunities. The strategy that can be applied is by conducting regular canteen supervision and improving healthy canteen policy soup and personal hygiene supervision for food handlers. Based on the research that has been done regarding the management of healthy canteens on the UNRI Campus, several things can be suggested, namely. (1) for further researchers, it is necessary to carry out further studies related to food equipment, food ingredients, and healthy food presentation in realizing a healthy canteen on the UNRI campus, (2) it is necessary to strengthen the healthy canteen policy on the UNRI campus. (3) the canteen owner is expected to improve the hygiene and sanitation of the canteen more optimally by increasing healthy behavior, especially for food handlers.

Hygiene conditions for food handlers, tenant sanitation with the presence of E. Coli in food court snacks in Makassar City

Unhygienic food management or with poor food sanitation can cause the food to be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli. These bacteria can cause various very detrimental diseases, such as digestive disorders. This study is a quantitative analytic study using a cross-sectional design. The population in this study were all tenants in the Tpandang village as many as 64 tenants. The research sample consisted of 9 food/beverage samples. Inclusion criteria in determining the sample are hawker traders who are in the research location, are hawker traders who are in the Food Court area and are willing to be respondents (samples are taken). The results showed that food handler hygiene was not related to the presence of E. Coli in Food Court snacks in Pandang Village, Makassar City (p = 0.284> 0.005) as well as Tenant Sanitation was not related to the presence of E. Coli in Food Court snacks in Pandang Village, Makassar City. (p=0.074>0.05).

Overview of Snack Food Sanitation at Night Market Food Vendors, Larantuka City Park, East Flores Regency

Food sanitation hygiene is an effort to control the factors of food, people, places, and equipment that can or may cause disease or health problems. The purpose of this study was to find out a description of food sanitation at the night market food vendors at Larantuka city park, East Flores district. This research is quantitative descriptive. The population and samples in this study were selling carts, totaling 13 carts and food handlers, totaling 13 people. The research sample amounted to 13 people with the sampling criteria were people who directly handled food. Analysis of the data used in univariate analysis. The results showed that most traders did not meet the requirements for personal hygiene of food handlers (69.2%), some traders met the requirements in tableware (76.9%), some of the merchants met the requirements in clean water and food ingredients (53, 8%) and all food traders do not meet the requirements in hawker facilities (100%). It is recommended to night market traders to improve personal hygiene and food sanitation so that the quality of the food they manage is guaranteed.

HUBUNGAN PERSONAL HYGIENE PENJAMAH MAKANAN DENGAN ANGKA KUMAN MAKANAN DI INSTALASI GIZI RSUD LUBUK SIKAPING TAHUN 2020

Personal hygiene of food handlers in nutrition installations affects the transmission of infection through food that will be given to inpatients and outpatients. In the survey results, it was found that food handlers still did not apply hygiene in food processing, such as 79% still chatting when processing food, 47% scratching habits, 58% using jewelry, and 42% long nails. Therefore, the researcher wanted to know the relationship between personal hygiene of food handlers and the number of food germs at the Nutrition Installation of Lubuk Attitude Hospital in 2020. The type of research carried out was descriptive analytic with a cross sectional approach. In this study, total sampling was used, where the sample in this study was the same as the population, namely 19 food handlers (supervisors, waiters, and cooks) and 19 food samples at the Nutrition Installation of Lubuk Attitude Hospital carried out within a working day at the time of the study. Data analysis was carried out univariate and bivariate with Chi-Square test. From the results of the univariate analysis, it was found that personal hygiene was poor (57.9%), the number of germs in food met the requirements (73.7%), and the results of the bivariate analysis showed that there was a relationship between personal hygiene of food handlers and the number of germs in food with p = 0.045. The Head of the Nutrition Installation of Lubuk Attitude Hospital and PPI (Prevention, Control and Infection) officers must work together in increasing guidance to food handlers regarding personal hygiene in food processing.Keywords: Personal Hygiene; Number of bacteria.

Los alimentos como transmisores de virus: Una revisión

Viruses have been present throughout human history, causing diseases due to infections and food poisoning; they have caused frequent public health problems worldwide. These illnesses are usually mild, moderate, or severe in nature. The personal hygiene of food handlers and processing processes should be checked periodically. Virus detection protocols and safety measures should be continually reviewed as viruses change their mode of infection. The objective of this review was to discuss the possible routes of virus transmission to humans through food. Important topics have been reviewed such as: definition of food viruses, presence, and types of viruses in food, enteric viruses, zoonotic viruses, water as a means of transmission, risks of infection, other non-conventional foods as potential transmitters of viruses and food safety, in addition to current and future challenges, research work on viruses more resistant to heat treatments in food should be sought. Also, future work on survival time of active viruses on food surfaces. In addition, studies that determine the mechanisms of virus mutation in relation to the conditions of food handling and processing.

Tailoring Can Improve Consumers' Hygienic Food-Handling Behavior to Reduce the Transmission Risk of Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria through Food.

Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria spread via food to humans and can seriously impair infection treatment. Hygienic food handling is an effective measure to avoid the transmission of bacteria. Therefore, we tested three types of interventions (tailored, generic, and no intervention) for their effectiveness in improving consumers’ hygienic food handling against the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria through foods in a longitudinal randomized control trial. We based the determinants of hygienic food-handling behavior on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). The tailored intervention raised self-reported hygienic food handling, self-efficacy, and perceived likelihood of risk compared to no intervention. Moreover, interventions yielded different effects for participants with high vs. low intentions to improve their food-handling behavior. However, there were no differences between the tailored and generic interventions. More research is needed to find out whether including other behavior change techniques in the tailored intervention may increase the effect of tailoring.

Assessment of food safety conditions at food service premises using Thai survey form and field fecal indicator testing in Pakpoon municipality of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to investigate the food safety conditions at food service premises and the hand hygiene of food handlers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. The food safety conditions of 24 food service premises in the Pakpoon municipality of Nakhon Si Thammarat were assessed using a food sanitation inspection form and fecal indicator testing. The fecal indicators in this study were coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli). A total of 162 samples were randomly collected from food and utensils and analyzed for coliform contamination. Samples were also obtained from food handlers and analyzed for coliform and E. coli contamination. None of the premises achieved the requirements of the Thai food safety standard. The samples showed significant coliform contamination (p < 0.01). Notably, the ice and drinking water samples were 100% coliform positive. The highest number of viable cells of total coliform and E. coli on the hands of the food handlers were >200 CFU/hand and >50 CFU/hand, respectively. Food safety conditions and food handlers’ hand hygiene should be improved to protect consumers from the risk of foodborne diseases.

Hygienic Food Handling Practices and Associated Factors Among Food Handlers in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background:The food handling practices of food handlers can have a significant impact on the hygienic status of the food. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with hygienic food handling practices among food handlers in Ethiopia.Methods:PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library databases were used to find articles. Only cross-sectional studies that met the criteria for inclusion were considered. STATA version 16 statistical software was used to perform the meta-analysis. The study’s heterogeneity was determined using Cochrane Q test statistics and the I2 test. A random effect model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of hygienic food handling practices.Results:To estimate the pooled prevalence of hygienic food handling practices in Ethiopia, 9 out of 33 reviewed studies were included. The prevalence of hygienic food handling practices was found to be 48.36% (95% CI: 39.74-56.99) in this study. Factors associated with hygienic food handling practices included; lack of food safety training (OR = 5.38; 95% CI: 1.71, 16.89), negative attitude (OR = 3.28; 95% CI: 1.50, 7.13), lack of access to handwashing facilities (OR = 4.84; 95% CI: 1.72, 13.65), lack of regular medical checkup (OR = 5.37; 95% CI: 3.13, 9.23), and lack of secondary education (OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.46, 4.32) among food handlers.Conclusion:In this study, the prevalence of hygienic food handling practices among Ethiopian food handlers was significantly low. Unhygienic food handling practices were attributed to a lack of food safety training, regular medical checkups, handwashing facilities, an unfavorable attitude toward food hygiene practices, and a lack of formal education. As a result, food handlers should receive ongoing food safety and hygiene training.

Systematic Review on Food Safety and Supply Chain Risk Assessment Post Pandemic: Malaysian Perspective

The novel coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, is a recent disease that has struck the entire world. This review is conducted to study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to food safety as well as the food supply chain. The pandemic has caused various changes around the world as numerous countries and governments have implemented lockdowns and restrictions to help curb the rising cases due to COVID-19. However, these restrictions have impacted many aspects of everyday life, including the economic sectors such as the food industry. An overview of the current COVID-19 situation in Malaysia was discussed in this review along with its implication on food safety and food supply chain. This is followed by a discussion on the definition of food safety, the impact of the pandemic to food safety, as well as the steps to be taken to ensure food safety. Hygiene of food handlers, complete vaccination requirement, kitchen sanitation and strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be in place to ensure the safety of food products, either in food industries or small scale business. Additionally, the aspect of the food supply chain was also discussed, including the definition of the food supply chain and the impact of COVID-19 to the food supply chain. Travel restriction and lack of manpower had impacted the usual operation and production activities. Lack of customers and financial difficulties to sustain business operational costs had even resulted in business closure. As a conclusion, this article provides insight into crucial factors that need to be considered to effectively contain COVID-19 cases and highlights the precaution methods to be taken through continuous monitoring and implementation by Malaysian government.

Evaluation of hygiene and food handling attitudes and practices during social isolation due to COVID-19 in Peruvian households: a cross-sectional study

The pandemic has affected almost all areas of people's lives and the way food is prepared is no exception. Food safety has been hit the hardest in the COVID-19 era. The aim of this paper was to investigate the attitudes and hygienic practices and food handling during social isolation by COVID-19 in Peruvian homes. A cross-sectional study was conducted that included 538 participants over 18 years of age from all regions of Peru, administering an online survey of 15 questions. The sample was selected by nonprobability sampling for convenience. The data were analysed using the statistical software IBM SPSS version 24 and the Chi-square test was used. A significance level of 5% was considered. Women represented the highest percentage of the sample (73.0%). 87.7% of the participants considered correct handling of food at home important during social isolation. Whereas 49.7% of the sample reported that they began to emphasize good handling practices when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Hand washing practices were more frequent in participants with a higher level of education (p&lt;0.001). In general, the participants demonstrated a positive attitude and were aware of the role of hygienic practices when handling food.

Effect of training program on food safety knowledge, behaviour and practices among female students of Qassim University, KSA

The study aimed to assess the effect of the training program in the level of concerns knowledge and various practices related to food safety among female students of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. The number of participants in the study is 265 female students, with a response rate of 94.35% and an average age of 21 years. The questionnaire used in this study was divided into five sections: 1: demographic information, sections 2 to 5 measuring the students ’concerns about: the risks affecting food safety, the correct behaviours of food preparation and their relationship to food poisoning, the methods of food circulation and the practices during the preparation of foods, respectively. The main concerns of the participants were: food taste, food temperature, methods of foods are served and the cooking degree of food. They also focused on the cleanliness of the area of preparation and the overall appearance of food handlers. The participants showed good knowledge regarding food safety, and they were more familiar with the cleanliness of kitchen surfaces and utensils, ways to prevent contamination and the importance of hand hygiene, but they showed weak knowledge about the appropriate temperatures of cooking and holding food after it is cooked. According to the results of this study, it was noticed that there is a significant effect of the training program on food safety knowledge and practices among students. As it was noticed that after the training program, the student's behaviour and knowledge of the principles and factors affecting food safety increased, including the method of handling, preparing and serving food, especially the cleanliness of food working surfaces and food cooking temperatures. As well as the personal hygiene of food handlers and its impact on the safety of the food product provided for consumption. At the same time, it could be recommended that there is a need for educational programs aimed at encouraging students to adhere to the practice of food safety measures, and not only to enhance their knowledge.

Effect of Microbial Quality of Washing Water on Hand Hygiene Status of Food Handlers in Jimma Town: Implication for Food Hygiene and Safety.

BackgroundIn most cases, people pay more attention to the microbial quality of drinking water than the quality of water they used to wash hands. This may lead to the occurrence of various foodborne illnesses through the introduction of pathogenic microbes during preparation and serving of food.ObjectiveTo determine the effect of microbial quality of washing water on the hand hygiene status of food handlers in Jimma town.MethodsLaboratory-based cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 150 food handlers were selected randomly for hand hygiene examination, and 150 water samples were collected aseptically from water storage tanks, food handlers used to wash their hands. The samples were subjected for microbiological analysis using standardized protocol. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to summarize the data and to determine the effect of microbial quality of water on hand hygiene of food handlers, respectively.ResultsAmong 150 food handlers included in the study, 104 (69.0%) of them were males and 64 (43.0%) of them aged between 35 and 50 years. On the other hand, 64 (42.7%) of the study participants had not attended formal education. About three-fourth of them used stored water to wash their hands, and almost similar proportion of them were waiters. The mean coliform bacteria of water and hand rinsate samples were 4.2 ± 0.8 and 4.1 ± 0.8 log CFU/mL, respectively.ConclusionThe study revealed that the microbial quality of water used to wash hands significantly affects the hand hygiene status of the food handlers. Hence, improving the microbial quality of washing water is important to improve the hand hygiene status of food handlers and consequently to prevent the occurrence of food-borne illness in the town.

PENERAPAN HIGIENE DAN SANITASI PENGELOLAAN MAKANAN UNTUK MENJAMIN KEAMANAN PANGAN DI KANTIN PUJA SERA UNIVERSITAS ANDALAS

Penerapan higiene dan sanitasi pengelolaan pada Kantin Puja Sera DPR (Dibawah Pohon Rindang) sangat penting karena merupakan kantin dengan aktivitas yang cukup tinggi di lingkungan Universitas Andalas. Berdasarkan hasil survey 6 Februari 2020 diketahui kondisi Kantin Puja Sera DPR (Dibawah Pohon Rindang) masih perlu penerapan higiene dan sanitasi pengelolaan agar menjamin kesehatan pengunjung atau mahasiswa. Solusi yang ditawarkan yaitu edukasi mengenai cara produksi pangan yang baik untuk industri rumah tangga (CPPB-IRT). Metode yang digunakan untuk merealisasikan penerapan higiene dan sanitasi penanganan makanan meliputi Identifikasi dan Pemeriksaan Higiene dan Sanitasi, Penilaian hasil pemeriksaan, Pemberian edukasi pada Penjamah Makanan yang Tidak/Belum/Kurang Memenuhi. Hasil pemeriksaan menjadi acuan untuk perbaikan kekurangan dari penerapan higiene dan sanitasi di Kantin Puja Sera DPR (Dibawah Pohon Rindang) Unand untuk dilengkapi sesuai persyaratan kantin sehat sehingga Kantin Puja Sera DPR (Dibawah Pohon Rindang) Unand bisa memenuhi persyaratan menjadi kantin sehat. Hasil dari pemeriksaan untuk penerbitan sertifikat produksi pangan industri rumah tangga (SPP-IRT) dari 14 kriteria penilaian menunjukkan Kantin Puja Sera DPR termasuk pada level III, ditemukan 1-4 masalah serius yang seharusnya dilakukan perbaikan untuk mendapatkan sertifikat SPP-PIRT. Masalah serius diantaranya: 1) bangunan dan fasilitas, 2) suplai air dan sarana penyedia air, 3) fasilitas dan kegiatan higiene dan sanitasi, 4) kesehatan dan higiene karyawan.

Penerapan Personal Hygiene Pada Penjamah Makanan di Pondok Pesantren Kecamatan Biring Kanaya Kota Makassar

Personal hygiene will have an impact on the food produced by a food handler. To carry out its functions, Islamic boarding schools have a food management system which is carried out by food handlers. This study aims to see the personal hygiene of food handlers at the Pondok Pesantren, Biringkanaya District, Makassar City. The research method used is descriptive research. The sampling method used was total sampling with a total of 30 samples. The results of the study prove that of the 30 respondents, 100% in good category for the application of personal hygiene. The work period of less than or 5 years was 17 respondents (56.7%) and respondents with a working period of more than 5 years were 13 respondents (43.3%). Of the 30 respondents (100%) only 1 respondent (33%) had work experience as food handlers in another place, namely, for 15 years at other Islamic boarding schools, 29 respondents (96.7%) had no work experience as food handlers. The application of personal hygiene to food handlers is fairly good, all respondents have good personal hygiene, but the application of washing hands before and after work and after leaving the bathroom is not in accordance with good and correct handwashing procedures according to WHO or the Indonesian Ministry of Health, this is evidenced by the unavailability of handwashing facilities. Provision of education, media-related information personal hygiene should be performed periodically to increase awareness of food handlers, as well as providing training, SOP, APD, P3K box, and checks periodically

Foodborne Klebsiella pneumoniae: Virulence Potential, Antibiotic Resistance, and Risks to Food Safety

Gastrointestinal carriage of Klebsiella pneumoniae is a predisposing factor for liver abscess in several Asian countries. To determine whether hypervirulent K. pneumoniae in the gut may be transmitted through food, we screened a range of raw and ready-to-eat retail food by culture and recovered K. pneumoniae in 21% (147 of 698) of samples tested. Based on PCR, no K. pneumoniae isolates carried the rmpA gene linked to community-acquired pyogenic liver abscess, providing no evidence of a link between food and liver disease. However, phenotypic resistance to multiple antibiotic classes was seen through disk diffusion tests, and carriage of genetic elements (wcaG and capsule types K1, K2, and K54) associated with increased virulence (8%, 11 of 147) was observed by PCR. Multidrug-resistant isolates were from raw vegetables, chicken or pork liver, and a ready-to-eat poultry dish; one multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae isolate from raw bean sprouts was resistant to a third-generation cephalosporin (ceftriaxone). Although K. pneumoniae may be present in food without causing harm, we found isolates belonging to the K1 capsular serotype coexisting with the wcaG gene, one also conferring multidrug resistance. K. pneumoniae that carry antibiotic resistance genes, regardless of pathogenicity, may increase the available genetic pool of resistance along the food chain. Hygienic food handling practices are necessary to lower risks of acquiring K. pneumoniae and other opportunistic pathogens. .

Hand hygiene in food handlers working in canteens of an educational institution in Eastern India

Background: Food borne diseases are a worldwide problem of great magnitude in terms of human sufferings and economic cause. One of the important category directly relating to food safety concerns are the food handlers. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and self-reported food safety practices of food handlers regarding food safety and hand hygiene and bacteriological analysis of hand hygiene of food handlers working in the canteen.Methods: The demographic data was collected on a structured questionnaire and the hand swabs were cultures as per standard protocol.Results: The study was conducted on 29 food handlers and 93.1% were males. A positive correlation was observed between the variables ‘knowledge’ and ‘self-reported food safety practices of food handlers with the socio-demographic data. The association between detection of different microorganisms and different knowledge and practices were a significant finding in 95% confidence limit (p&lt;0.001) on applying two tailed Z-test.Conclusions: This study is exploratory in nature and can act as a base study of the relationship between hand sanitation and knowledge attitude and practice of food handlers.

Evaluation of a Training of Trainers Program on Food Safety and Nutrition Security

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) remain a serious human health problem, and food safety plays an essential role in addressing this public health issue. This study aimed at evaluating the training of trainers program on food safety and nutrition security using a qualitative descriptive approach. The training exposed the participants to food safety topics in food processing and preservation with an emphasis on the nature of food safety hazards and the personal hygiene of food handlers in food preparation. The new trainers then organized and conducted actual seminar-workshops in their respective communities. The results of the evaluation indicate that the primary driver of the success of the program was institutional support by the local government partners. Overall, the program was able to achieve its ultimate goal of capacitating a group of local trainers on food safety in hopes of addressing the problem of FBDs through a cascade of training.