INFLUENCE OF FOOD HYGIENE TRAINING ON SAFE FOOD PROVISION BY UNCLASSIFIED RESTAURANTS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: The study aimed to explore the influence of food hygiene training on the safe provision of food by unclassified restaurants in Nairobi City County. It focused on the impact of food handling practices, the role of food hygiene training, compliance with food legislation, the role of management in maintaining safety standards, and the moderating effect of food safety standards on the relationship between food management practices and safe food provision.
Statement of the Problem: Despite the critical role of food safety in public health, the practices in Nairobi's unclassified restaurants, especially in relation to food hygiene training and its impact on safe food provision, remain under-examined.
Methodology: A mixed method research design was employed, involving 124 unclassified restaurants in Nairobi's Central Business District. Data collection comprised questionnaires for supervisors, cooks, and waiters, and in-depth interviews with restaurant managers. Quantitative data analysis utilized means, standard deviation, and inferential models, presented in tables and figures. T-tests identified significant differences in food safety management practices, while chi-square tests assessed associations between food management practices and safe food provision. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and integrated with quantitative findings.
Findings of the Study: The study found significant associations between food hygiene training (χ=5.094; p=.019<0.05) and safe food provision. It highlighted that training in food safety and legal issues enhances awareness and competence in managing food-related risks.
Conclusion: The study concludes that training restaurant employees in food safety is crucial for ensuring safe food provision in unclassified restaurants.
Recommendations: The study recommends periodic training for restaurant workers in proper food handling practices, emphasizing the importance of continuous education in food safety.
Keywords: Food Hygiene Training, Safe Food Provision, Unclassified Restaurants.
References
Anandappa, M. (2013). Evaluating food safety systems development and implementation by quantifying HACCP training durability. Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences. Paper 19.
Chibili, M. (2017). Modern hotel operations management. Routledge: London, UK.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26.
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age International.
Mohamady, M., Essam, M., & El Kashlan, A. (2012). A proposed Food Safety Management Framework for Catering Services. Recent Researches in Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Academy for Science and Technology 661 Al Horrya Street, Janeklis, Alexandria.
Mwangi, P. N. (2018). Food Handlers’ Hygiene Practices as Determinants of Customers’ Choice of Selected African Indigenous Restaurants’ in Nairobi City County, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, Kenyatta University).
Ndu, E. C., & Asiegbu, U. A. (2021). Food Hygiene Management and Safe Food Production: An Operational Analysis of Quick Service Restaurants in Port Harcourt. International Journal of Business and Management Review, 9(1), 78-93.
Nyamari, J. A. C. K. I. M. (2013). Evaluation of compliance to food safety standards amongst food handlers in selected hospitals in Kenya. Unpublished Doctoral thesis. Kenyatta.
Odundo, A., Okemo, P., & Chege, P. (2018). An Assessment of Food Safety Practices among Street Vendors in Mombasa, Kenya.
Oduol, R. W. (2020). Role Of Food Management Systems On Food Safety In 5-Star Rated Hotels In Nairobi City County, Kenya (Masters dissertation, Kenyatta University).
Perez, A. M., & Manzano, A. I. (2017). Food Safety and Sanitary Practices of Selected Hotels in Batangas Province, Philippines: Basis of Proposed Enhancement Measures. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 5(1), 111-121.
Riggio, G. M., Wang, Q., Kniel, K. E., & Gibson, K. E. (2019). Microgreens—A review of food safety considerations along the farm to fork continuum. International journal of food microbiology, 290(2), 76-85.
Santero-Sanchez, R., Segovia-Pérez, M., Castro-Nuñez, B., Figueroa-Domecq, C., & Talón-Ballestero, P. (2015). Gender differences in the hospitality industry: A job quality index. Tourism Management, 51, 234-246.
Seaman, P. (2015). Food hygiene training: Introducing the food hygiene training model. Food Control, 21(4), 381-387.
Shi, Z. (2017). Study on food quality and safety management based on hotel management. Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series E: Food Technology, 21(2), 91-96.
Soman, R., & Raman, M. (2016). HACCP system–hazard analysis and assessment, based on ISO 22000: 2005 methodology. Food Control, 69(11), 191-195.
Sperber, W. H., & Stier, R. F. (2019). Happy 50th birthday to HACCP: Retrospective and prospective views. Food Control, 96, 148-152.
Ssebatta, F. (2016). Knowledge and Practices of Food Safety Among Food Handlers in the Selected Primary SChools in Makindye Division, Kampala (Doctoral dissertation, International Health Sciences University.).
Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. SAGE Publications.
Teffo, L. A., & Tabit, F. T. (2020). An assessment of the food safety knowledge and attitudes of food handlers in hospitals. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-12.
Tian, F. (2017). A supply chain traceability system for food safety based on HACCP, blockchain & Internet of things. In 2017 International Conference on Service Systems and Service Management (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Todd, E. C. D., Michaels, B. S., Greig, J. D., Smith, D., & Bartleson, C. A. (2020). Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 11. Use of antiseptics and sanitizers in community settings and issues of hand hygiene compliance in health care and food industries. Journal of Food Protection, 83(10), 1768-1789.
Veal, A. J. (2017). Research methods for leisure and tourism. Pearson UK.
Vetráková, M., Šimočková, I., & Pompurová, K. (2019). Age and educational diversification of hotel employees and its impact on turnover. Sustainability, 11(19), 5434.
Wahdan, I. H., Gad, Z. M., Habib, I. M., & Elshazly, O. A. (2019). Effect of an educational program on food safety practices in food preparation and handling procedures in governmental hospitals of an Egyptian governorate. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 49(2), 90-96.
World Health Organization. (2019). Food safety. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety
