Food safety practices of food handlers at canteens of foreign invested enterprises in Hung Yen Province 2018

Abstract

     A cross sectional study was conducted in 2018, with the participation of food handlers in chief at all 86 foreign invested enterprises in Hung Yen Province to assess their food safety practices. The results showed that not all food handers had adequade food safety practices as required. The proportions of participants with adequate practices were 77.9% with adequate overal food safety practices, 59.3% had clean hands and fingernails kept short and clean, 31.4% did not weared jewelries when handling foods, 83.7% covered cooked foods properly and 72.1% had rubbish bins properly taken away daily. However, there were some food safety practices with high appropriate proportions, such as 100% food handlers had routine health checks and kept food samples for testing. 98.8% were certified with adequate food safety knowledge and 94.2% applied one-way rule in food preparing to prevent cross contamination. Food safety management agency in Hung Yen Province should apply innovative and diversified communication activities targeting food handlers at these premises to improve their practices. The monitoring and supervision of food safety practices and personal hygiene of food handlers should be strengthened.