Beliefs, practices, and knowledge of food handlers in households regarding electricity outage effect on food safety: national cross-sectional study in Lebanon

Abstract

Food safety is of a huge concern globally and in developing countries particularly since foodborne illnesses continue to pose a threat to human and animal life, thereby affecting their quality of life. Massive research has been conducted to understand the causes and mechanisms of these diseases in order to reduce morbidity and mortality rates that are food related.

The purpose of this study was to assess the consumer’s food safety knowledge, beliefs and practices in households during electricity cut-off. A cross-sectional study among consumers in Lebanon was conducted. Data was collected online using AUBlime survey. A total of 571 consumers from all over the country completed the survey and were included in the analysis.

Results confirmed that food handlers and consumers in Lebanon had unsatisfactory food safety knowledge level (mean score was 10 ± 4.112 (< 11, which is the 70% of the total knowledge score ranging from 0 to 15) along with poor food safety beliefs (mean belief score was 2.77 ± 1.372 < 4, which is the 70% of the total belief score ranging from 0 to 4) and practices (mean practice score was 10.79 ± 2.451 (< 14, which is the 70% of the total practice score ranging from 0 to 20). The results also showed that age, governorate, educational level, and self-reported food safety knowledge score were significantly associated with good knowledge score.

The study indicated major gaps in knowledge, beliefs, and practices of participants in Lebanon towards food safety especially during electricity outage. Planned and constructed efforts are needed to improve the education of participants on food safety in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses in Lebanon.