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 (>45 years old), those holding valid health cards, and those who had attended training courses (p<0.05). However, no significant differences in food safety attitudes and practices were found based on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (p>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.