Sains Malaysiana 40(4)(2011): 403–410

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Among Food Handlers at Residential Colleges and Canteen Regarding Food Safety

(Penilaian Pengetahuan, Sikap serta Amalan Pengendali Makanan di Kolej Kediaman dan Kantin Terhadap Keselamatan Makanan)

Siow Oi Nee & Norrakiah Abdullah Sani*

School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

Received: 9 December 2009 / Accepted: 25 July 2010

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices among food handlers at residential colleges and canteen in the main campus of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia regarding the aspect of food hygiene and safety. Sixty five food handlers from two residential colleges’ cafeterias and one Faculty of Science and Technology’s canteen were involved in the study. The data were collected from the food handlers through the methods of questionnaire and analyzed using the SPSS version 12.0. In general, the respondents’ knowledge was moderate with mean point of 57.8%. However, they have good knowledge on personal hygiene and definition of foodborne diseases with mean point of 93.85% and 73.85%, respectively. On the contrary, their knowledge on food storage and preparation temperatures was poor with only 28%. Respondents showed positive attitudes towards two categories of questions in the aspect of food safety and hygiene (76.9%); foodborne prevention and control (70.8%). Majority of the respondents have an average practices in all parts of the questions. Analysis of tests showed significant difference (p<0.05) between the relationship of respondents’ knowledge with their working experiences (p=0.008), attitudes with training attended (p=0.006) and practice with gender (p=0.032). There was significant difference for knowledge based on cafeteria (p=0.000). In conclusion, amongst the three levels, respondents showed only good attitudes in food handling and all the cafeterias in this survey need to increase the hygiene level of their food handlers’ hand and environment of the premises.

Keywords: Attitudes; food handlers; food safety; knowledge; practices

ABSTRAK

Tujuan utama kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk menilai tahap pengetahuan, sikap dan amalan pengendali makanan di kafeteria kolej kediaman dan kantin di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia terhadap aspek kebersihan dan keselamatan makanan. Seramai 65 orang pengendali makanan dari dua kolej kediaman dan satu kantin Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi terlibat dalam kajian soal-selidik ini. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan menggunakan perisian SPSS versi 12.0. Secara umumnya, tahap pengetahuan responden adalah sederhana dengan min mata betul 57.8%. Responden menunjukkan sikap positif bagi kedua-dua kategori soalan iaitu keselamatan dan kebersihan makanan (76.9%); pencegahan dan kawalan penyakit bawaan makanan (70.8%). Majoriti responden mempunyai amalan pengendalian makanan yang sederhana untuk kesemua kategori soalan. Ujian analisis menunjukkan perbezaan yang signifikan (p<0.05) iaitu terdapat perkaitan di antara pengetahuan dengan tempoh pengalaman kerja, sikap dengan kehadiran kursus dan amalan dengan jantina. Terdapat perbezaan signifikan terhadap pengetahuan mengikut kafeteria yang berlainan (p=0.000). Secara keseluruhannya, daripada ketiga-tiga tahap tersebut, responden kajian hanya menunjukkan sikap yang baik dalam pengendalian makanan dan kafeteria dalam kajian ini perlu meningkatkan lagi tahap kebersihan tangan pengendali makanan dan persekitaran premis mereka.

Kata kunci: Amalan; keselamatan makanan; pengendali makanan; pengetahuan; sikap

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*Corresponding author; e.mail: norra@ukm.my