Food Safety, Hygiene, and Sanitation Practices Among University Campus Dining Personnel: An Institution‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study found that university dining staff often claim to follow food safety practices but rarely do so in reality, highlighting a gap between knowledge and actual behavior.

Contribution

The study identifies discrepancies between self-reported and observed food safety practices among campus dining personnel.

Findings

Most food handlers claimed to follow hygiene protocols, but few used gloves, aprons, or hairnets.

Only 11.1% of outlets had functional hand washing facilities despite 77.8% reporting regular hand washing.

Knowledge significantly predicted food safety practices, but education did not significantly influence attitudes.

Abstract

Foodborne illnesses are a major global health issue, often due to poor food safety practices. The specific aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) and to identify the discrepancies between self‐reported and actual food safety practices among campus dining personnel. A cross‐sectional survey among 70 food handlers from 9 food outlets was conducted to collect self‐reported data on KAPs regarding hygiene, food handling, and safety practices using a structured questionnaire. About 90% of food handlers claimed adherence to hygiene protocols, no handlers were observed wearing aprons or hairnets, and only 11.1% used disposable gloves. Although 77.8% reported regular hand washing, only one outlet (11.1%) had functional hand washing facilities. Unsafe thawing methods were observed in all outlets, with 88.9% failing to use gloves for ready‐to‐eat foods. For practices, knowledge emerged as a significant predictor (p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 0.353. Inadequate practices extended to food preparation, where only 11.1% used separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods. Storage conditions were generally better, with 100% maintaining cold storage at < 5 °C, and 77.8% ensuring the separation of raw and cooked foods. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association (p < 0.01) between knowledge and attitudes and an odds ratio of 0.105 (CI: 0.035–0.315). Conversely, education showed no significant association with attitudes (p > 0.05; CI: 0.482–4.346). For practices, knowledge emerged as a significant predictor (p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 0.353 (CI: 0.132–0.942). These findings reveal a critical gap between knowledge and application of food safety practices, attributed to infrastructure deficiencies and a lack of enforcement.