KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE (KAP) ANALYSIS OF FOOD SAFETY OF DIFFERENT FOOD VENDORS (MEAT, FISH AND VEGETABLES) IN SYLHET CITY

Abstract

Research related to food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of different types of food handlers are limited in Bangladesh. Thus, it was felt necessary and present study was aimed to explore food safety related knowledge attitude and practice level of the meat, fish and vegetable handlers. Knowledge, attitude, and practice survey were conducted using pretested structured questionnaire in the fifteen markets in and around Sylhet city. Fifty meat, sixty fish, and sixty vegetable handler have been interviewed. The study explored that overall percentage of good meat, fish, and vegetable handlers were low – when the average food safety score used as a cutoff. While compared the average food safety scores of the knowledge, attitude and practice, for all type of food handlers a significant difference was observed in the present study. This disparity clearly revealed that the average score of attitude and practice are close, but they differ significantly with the knowledge. Awareness program should be carried on to improve the level of food safety knowledge. Besides, implementation of appropriate laws and regulations related to food safety can improve the good attitude and practice level of food handlers.