FOOD HYGIENE KNOWLEDGE AND PREFERENCES OF EATING PLACES AMONG CONSUMERS IN GREATER JAKARTA, INDONESIA

Abstract

Food safety is a very important issue and needs to get the main attention in the supervision, especially in developing countries including Indonesia. Many of the diseases in circulation are sourced from foods where consumers are less aware of the usual foods being consumed may be unhygienic or unhealthy. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 107 consumers at a urban area, Greater Jakarta, in Indonesia. This paper specifically discusses the preliminary study of food hygiene knowledge and practices. A web-based questionnaire pertaining to knowledge and practices related to personal hygiene (5 items), food handling practices (11 items), food hygiene preferences (6 items), and eating places preferences (8 items). A score of 5 was given to strongly agree and 1 to the strongly disagree. Mean age of consumers was 22 years old (sd 5.96), female (65.42%), mostly undergraduates students. Overall mean knowledge score (personal hygiene 4.23 ± 0.81; food handling practices 3.91 ± 0.87, food hygiene preferences 3.59 ± 0.96, eating places preferences 4.22 ± 0.83). Overall knowledge was significantly associated with age (p=0.040) and level of education (p=0.005). While preferences of eating place was significantly associated with level of education (p=0.001). This study suggested there is positive relationship between food handling practices, food hygiene preferences, eating place preferences among respondents.