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Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Radhika Bongoni, Ruud Verkerk, Matthijs Dekker and Bea Steenbekkers

Domestic preparation practices influence the sensory properties and nutritional composition of food products. Information on the variability in actual domestic preparation…

Abstract

Purpose

Domestic preparation practices influence the sensory properties and nutritional composition of food products. Information on the variability in actual domestic preparation practices is needed to assess the influence of applied conditions on the sensory and nutritional quality of food. The collection of such information requires a reliable, valid and practical research method. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Direct in-home observations, observations in a model-kitchen using cameras, and a self-reporting questionnaire were evaluated for reliability and validity, to study domestic food preparation practices by consumers. Broccoli preparation practices by Dutch consumers were checked by these three methods in this research paper.

Findings

All three research methods were found to be test-retest, inter-observer, parallel-form reliable; and face, content and concurrent valid. However, the self-reporting questionnaire is the most practical research method that can be administered on a large number of respondents in a short time to capture the wide variations in preparation practices.

Originality/value

Consumers can be assisted on domestic food preparation practices that reach their sensory preferences (e.g. texture, colour) as well as have health benefits on consumption.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 117 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2019

Kwanhatai Thongpalad, John K.M. Kuwornu, Avishek Datta, Songkhla Chulakasian and Anil Kumar Anal

The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of farmers regarding the on-farm food safety measures in the commercial layer farms in Thailand…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of farmers regarding the on-farm food safety measures in the commercial layer farms in Thailand prior the implementation of the mandatory Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard.

Design/methodology/approach

The cross-sectional study was conducted through the face-to-face interview with a questionnaire in 143 GAP certified and 59 non-GAP certified farms. The levels of safety and quality measures implemented in farms were evaluated using a self-reported approach. Scoring system was applied to investigate the relationship between level of practices and its determining factors using the correlation test.

Findings

The layer hen farmers appeared to have an adequate level of knowledge on safety and quality measures; however, some misconception on recommended practices was still observed. The significant differences (p<0.001) in the regularity of practices adopted in farms were noticed between GAP and non-GAP groups. The GAP farmers have higher level of knowledge, and positive attitudes toward implementation. Only the weak positive relationships were found between all KAP variables which implied that there are other factors influencing the translation of knowledge and favorable attitudes into practices.

Originality/value

None of the on-farm food safety KAP report has been published in Thailand. This study highlights the gaps in the practices and issues needed to be focused by standard promoters for developing the knowledge translation programs aimed at enhancing the standard of layer farming.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 121 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 April 2016

Nik Rosmawati Nik Husain, Wan Manan Wan Muda, Noor Izani Noor Jamil, Nik Nurain Nik Hanafi and Razlina Abdul Rahman

A successful food safety intervention must be based on firm theories and a consideration of all relevant variables. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of…

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Abstract

Purpose

A successful food safety intervention must be based on firm theories and a consideration of all relevant variables. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of improvement in food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers in primary school canteens through food safety training.

Design/methodology/approach

A list of 98 primary schools was randomized into intervention and control groups using a multistage sampling method. The training programme for the intervention group and questionnaires for evaluating knowledge and practices were developed. On-site observations were done to assess hygienic practices during the handling of raw food and cooking equipment. In total, 16 school canteens participated in this study.

Findings

Knowledge about personal hygiene and related to rules for preparing safe food was significantly improved after the food safety intervention. Some of the improvement was sustained for up to 12 weeks after the intervention. The self-reported practice score of food safety and hygiene in the intervention group was significantly higher at post1 and post2 compared to baseline. A significant within-group and between-group improvement was demonstrated for the observed behaviour of raw food handling and equipment sanitation.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is to provide a new framework for the design and implementation of food safety intervention in school canteens targeted towards a specific enabling factor for behavioural change. Provision of food safety training grounded by the theory of planned behaviour was associated with significantly improved food safety knowledge and behaviour amongst food handlers.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 118 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Hussein F. Hassan, Hani Dimassi and Zeina Nakat Karam

The purpose of this paper is to assess level of food safety knowledge and self-reported practices among Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households and to identify the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess level of food safety knowledge and self-reported practices among Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households and to identify the association between knowledge/practices and socio-demographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,500 participants from different gender, age, area of residence, income, marital status and education. They completed a questionnaire of six questions about demographics, and 26 questions related to knowledge and self-reported practices in terms of food handling, storage, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene subgroups. SPSS v23 was used for statistical analyses. Student t-test and analysis of variance were conducted. Significance level of 0.05 was used.

Findings

On average, participants scored 55.6±16.3, 51.3±25.7, 67.4±19.3 and 89.1±16.3 on food handling, storage, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene, respectively, whereas the passing (score above 50 percent) rates were 64.5, 69.9, 90.5 and 99.1, respectively, for the different subgroups. Gender had significant (p<0.05) effect on food handling and personal hygiene; age, marital status and education had significant (p<0.05) effect on handling, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene; area of residence had significant (p<0.05) effect on storage, handling and usage of kitchen facilities; income had significant (p<0.05) effect on handling and usage of kitchen facilities. Overall mean food safety knowledge and self-reported practices score was 63.8±12.6; passing rate was 86.2; gender, age, area of residence, education, marital status and income had significant (p<0.05) effect. Food safety self-reported practices and knowledge scores were significantly (p<0.001) related to a weak to moderate correlation coefficient (R=0.34).

Practical implications

The results confirm the need for ongoing educational initiatives to improve the relatively low food safety knowledge and practices among the Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households.

Originality/value

No study has determined the food safety knowledge and self-reported practices of Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households before.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 June 2021

Maya Kaul, Jonathan Supovitz and Meghan Comstock

This study investigates the reasons teachers seek instructional assistance from their colleagues. By examining both the reasons why teachers seek assistance and considering which…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the reasons teachers seek instructional assistance from their colleagues. By examining both the reasons why teachers seek assistance and considering which reasons for seeking assistance predict shifts in teaching practice, this analysis provides new insights into how schools can leverage teachers' social networks for organizational change.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on interview and survey data from a sample of 52 schools across seven districts in the United States, we first qualitatively explore the reasons teachers seek instructional assistance, based on patterns in teachers' self-reported descriptions of their instructional advice-seeking. Then, we apply hierarchical linear models to predict which individual characteristics and organizational features influence the reasons' teachers seek assistance and which reasons for seeking assistance influence their subsequent shifts in teaching practice.

Findings

Teachers' positions in their social networks, their experience levels and their organizational contexts predict the reasons for which they seek instructional assistance. In addition, teachers seeking advice based on perceptions of their peers' experience or resource access predicts positive shifts in teaching practice; however, fewer than half of teachers' instructional-advice seeking ties reported in our sample were motivated by either of these two reasons.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the potential for school leaders and policymakers to improve teaching practice by making educators' experience and resources more accessible within schools and creating structures that enable collaboration.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a gap in social network literature by moving beyond a structuralist analysis of teachers' collegial networks to investigate teachers' motivations for pursuing advice-seeking ties.

Details

Journal of Professional Capital and Community, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-9548

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 July 2019

Helen Lingard, Rita Peihua Zhang and David Oswald

The leadership style and communication practices of supervisors in the Australian construction industry were measured. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The leadership style and communication practices of supervisors in the Australian construction industry were measured. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of leadership style and communication practices of Australian construction supervisors on workgroup health and safety (H&S) climate and behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was administered to members of 20 workgroups engaged in rail construction work on the Level Crossing Removal Project and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project in Victoria, Australia. The survey measured components of supervisors’ transformational and transactional leadership, communication practices, the group H&S climate and workers’ self-reported H&S compliance and participation.

Findings

Supervisors’ transformational and transactional leadership, as well as communication practices, were all positively and significantly correlated with group H&S climate and workers’ self-reported H&S behaviours. The transformational leadership component of providing an appropriate model was the strongest predictor of H&S participation, while H&S compliance was predicted by the transactional leadership component of providing contingent reward, as well as supervisors’ communication practices. H&S climate fully mediated the relationship between supervisory leadership and workers’ self-reported H&S behaviour.

Originality/value

The research demonstrates that both transformational and transactional supervisory leadership are important in the construction context. Effective communication between supervisors and workers is also important for H&S. The findings suggest that supervisory leadership development programmes may be an effective way to improve H&S performance in predominantly subcontracted construction workgroups.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 26 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Jafar Sadegh Tabrizi, Leila Nikniaz, Homayoun Sadeghi-Bazargani, Mostafa Farahbakhsh and Zeinab Nikniaz

The purpose of this paper is to determine the food safety knowledge and practices of the Iranian consumers and also its association with socio-demographic characteristics.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the food safety knowledge and practices of the Iranian consumers and also its association with socio-demographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present cross-sectional and population-based study, the validated food safety questionnaires applied to 1,500 participants who were selected through multistage stratified cluster sampling from the capital city and regional area of East-Azerbaijan – Iran. The Student t-test and analysis of variance and linear regression were used for statistical analysis.

Findings

Although the overall percentages of mean score for knowledge (77.66 percent) and self-reported practice (70.77 percent) were good, there was a low level of awareness and self-reported practice in some subsections such as optimal heating/cooling temperature, proper thawing techniques and eating raw egg. Female and married respondents had significantly higher mean knowledge score than males (p<0.001) and singles (p=0.04). Residents of regional areas acted more safely than capital city residents (p=0.01).

Research limitations/implications

Despite the good knowledge of some respondents regarding food safety, their food safety practices were poor. It can thus be suggested that the future studies have better focus on investigating the perceived barriers of consumers about food safety practices.

Practical implications

Although the mean knowledge and practice regarding food safety of Iranian consumers was good, yet there is the lack of knowledge and practice on some important factors related to food poisonings such as eating raw or lightly cooked egg or improper heating/thawing practices. So, it is important to develop proper food safety education programs emphasizing on these issues. According to lower food safety knowledge and practice of low-educated, single and male respondents, the educational programs should mainly focus on these groups.

Originality/value

For the development of effective food safety education programs in Iran, learning about the basic knowledge and practice of consumers is essential; however, there is limited data that directly tackles this issue in Iran.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 119 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2020

Nada Smigic, Tijana Lazarov and Ilija Djekic

The purpose of this study was to evaluate food handling practices and food safety knowledge among undergraduate students in the Republic of Serbia. It was also to determine…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate food handling practices and food safety knowledge among undergraduate students in the Republic of Serbia. It was also to determine whether the university curriculum influences the food safety outcome among participating students.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured, self-administrative questionnaire was designed and used to assess the level of food handling practices and food safety knowledge among undergraduate students in the Republic of Serbia. In total, 240 students were involved in this study. For each participating student, the food handling practice score (FHPS) and food safety knowledge score (FSKS) was calculated by dividing the sum of correct answers by the total number of correct responses. Additionally, knowledge gaps among students of food/health related and non-food/health related faculties were identified.

Findings

The average FHPS for all students was 46%, while the average FSKS was 56%. Both FHPS and FSKS scores were significantly associated with the education, and students of food/health related faculties (Food Technology, Veterinary Medicine and Medicine) obtained better scores compared to students of non-food/health related faculties (Faculty of Agriculture, Economics and Faculty of Philology). Only 12.5% of all students and only 3.3% of non-food/health related students knew that food contaminated with food poisoning bacteria cannot be recognized by visual, olfactory or taste checks. The results indicated that 95% of students apply good practice of hand hygiene before preparing food, while only 52.5% of all students declared that they wash their hands for at least 20 s.

Originality/value

This is the first research aimed to investigate the food handling practices and food safety knowledge among undergraduate students in this part of Europe. Identifying knowledge gaps can help identifying at-risk populations and knowledge-based interventions. Also, novelty of this research was the connection between students' knowledge and curriculum of different food/health related faculties.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 123 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Meta Sterniša, Sonja Smole Možina, Sonja Levstek, Andreja Kukec, Peter Raspor and Mojca Jevšnik

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Slovenian consumers’ knowledge and self-reported practices in poultry meat handling during purchase, transport, and preparation in home…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Slovenian consumers’ knowledge and self-reported practices in poultry meat handling during purchase, transport, and preparation in home kitchens and to assess the awareness of the microbiological risk associated with poultry meat, with an emphasis on Campylobacter.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study of consumers’ food safety knowledge, self-reported practices, and awareness of the microbiological risk was conducted from March to April 2015 at supermarkets in different parts of Slovenia. A convenience sample of 560 consumers was obtained. Gender and age distribution were controlled by 28 interviewers, each of whom distributed 20 questionnaires. The questionnaire included 33 questions divided into four parts.

Findings

The results revealed consumers awareness of food safety issues. Respondents have some basic knowledge about proper food handling. However, a substantial number of consumers still lacks knowledge of the microbiological risk and has bad habits in domestic poultry meat preparation.

Research limitations/implications

The research did not reflect a representative sample of Slovenian consumers.

Practical implications

The results indicate some gaps in consumers’ food safety knowledge and self-reported practices. Current Campylobacter preventive strategies regarding retail poultry meat contamination are not yet sufficiently successful.

Originality/value

The study provides valuable insight into consumers’ food safety knowledge and self-reported practices in poultry meat handling from shopping to eating. Opportunities for improvement in consumers’ formal and informal education and training should be offered.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2018

Foong Ming Moy, Abd Aziz Alias, Rohana Jani, Hishamuddin Abdul Halim and Wah Yun Low

The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of food safety practices and their determinants among youths in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of food safety practices and their determinants among youths in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

An online cross-sectional study was carried out among 1,178 students at a premier university in the city of Kuala Lumpur. A web-based questionnaire pertaining to food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices was e-mailed to all registered students.

Findings

This study found that 61.7 per cent of the respondents had good food safety practices, 89.7 per cent had fair knowledge and slightly less than half of them had positive attitudes regarding food safety. There was significant association between respondents’ attitudes and their food safety practices. No association was found between socio-demographic characteristics, year and field of study and their food safety practices. There was also no significant association between knowledge and food safety practices. Respondents with positive food safety attitudes had higher odds (OR=7.55, 95 per cent CI: 5.66, 10.07) for food safety practices compared to those with negative attitudes.

Research limitations/implications

As the study population consisted only of university students, the results may not be generalised to all youths in the country. Data collection using online self-reported questionnaires may cause misinterpretation. However, the questionnaire was validated and pilot tested prior to data collection. The results can be used in creating greater awareness of food safety practices, especially on positive attitudes among Malaysian youths.

Originality/value

This study describes self-reported food safety practices and their relationship with socio-demographic factors, knowledge, and attitudes of Malaysian university students.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

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