Food handling practices and associated factors among food handlers in Yeka Sub-City Public Primary Schools, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Asrat N and Ahmed H

Published on: 2022-10-02

Abstract

Food is any nutrient-dense substance that humans or animals consume or drink, or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth. The issue of food handling practices is a major issue on the African continent, which accounts for up to one-third of all food-related deaths worldwide. According to the Ethiopian demographic health survey, the majority of individuals who produce, cook, and consume food in Ethiopia lack adequate awareness about food handling practices and their associated risks. This, in turn, leads to food contamination, which is largely caused by inappropriate food handling and leads to a variety of food-borne disorders. The purpose of this study is to look at food handling practices and associated factors among the food handlers in public primary schools in Yeka sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2022. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 9-June 26, 2022, at Yeka sub-city public primary schools' student cafeterias. To select sample respondents from the total study population, the lottery method of sampling was applied. The researchers employed two instruments in the process of collecting necessary data for the study areas, namely: an interviewer-administered questionnaire and observation. The questionnaire was developed through reviewing previously published literature and adopted from the WHO standardized questionnaires (1989). The findings of the study showed that more than 162 (61.4%) food handlers had poor food handling practices out of 263 food handlers. The food handlers’ age, sex, religion, educational level, monthly income, preparation training received, service year, supervisor visits, preparing food with a wound on their hand, washing hands with soap and water after using the toilet, and water from the pipe were the significant predictors (p 0.05) for safe food handling practices, and almost many food handlers do not have adequate knowledge about good food handling practices. The study revealed that food handling practices in public primary schools were poor. This finding highlights the importance of regular visits to public primary schools’ food establishments by the concerned authorities to ensure that all food handlers have the knowledge and skills to provide safe food.