Food safety knowledge among food workers in restaurants in Jordan

Food handlers working at restaurants play a major role in transmission of foodborne diseases. This study aimed to measure food safety knowledge of food handlers working at fast food restaurants in Jordan. A total of 1084 food handlers in 297 fast food restaurants were participated in this question survey study. The overall knowledge of food handlers on food safety concepts is fair. The overall score of correct answers for the food safety tested aspects was 46.47 out of 67 points (69.4%). Correspondents had poor knowledge regarding foodborne pathogens and safe storage, thawing, cooking and reheating of the foods but had good knowledge on personal hygiene and symptoms of foodborne illnesses. Food workers who enrolled in food safety training course had significantly (P < 0.05) higher total food safety knowledge score compared with the score of those who did not enroll in a training course. There was no association between the experience of food workers and total food safety knowledge score. Also, there were no association between the other characteristics of food workers and the total food safety knowledge score. This study suggests adopting proper food safety education training courses to food handlers, periodic evaluation of food handlers' knowledge and food safety training course materials and better pay for food handlers would improve the food safety status in foodservice institutions.

► Food handlers in Jordan had fair overall food safety knowledge. ► Food handlers in Jordan had poor food safety knowledge on some key concepts of food safety safe. ► Enrolling of new food handlers in an obligatory food safety training course should be adopted in Jordan.