Assessment of Knowledge and Practices of Using Home Refrigerator to Ensure Food Safety in Khartoum State

Abstract

This study intends to provide answers to the knowledge and practices of using home refrigerator by households in Khartoum state(Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North (Bahari). The data collected from 90 households by conducting questionnaire . The study revealed that 95.6% of households knew that refrigerator was important equipment , but 7.8% of them lacked and /or didn't applying knowledge about some practices such as recommended the best practice guidelines in relation to monitor refrigerator temperature within the recommended (safe) range (0-5°C). Whereas most of the respondents had the knowledge about different parts related to refrigerator such as 83.3% of the participant knew the important of cleaning refrigerator weekly . Regarding the part of food borne illness and the symptoms , the study indicated that most of the participated people had adequate knowledge and the awareness was increased regarding most of the food –borne illness , but 36 of the participants (39.9% ) were unable to define food borne - diseases and considered that these diseases were caused by ingestion of spoiled or expired food or by infection . On the other hand the findings of the study showed that the people had low information about other practices dealing with refrigerator for example 58.9% of the participants were stored hot foods in refrigerator after cooling it at room temperature, while only 10% knew that it must be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. The study recommended that health education should be held in the communities for people about prevention of food, more practices and information are needed to know more about food borne- diseases , more practice should be done for people to raise their awareness about the importance of using refrigerators in home correctly and further studies of consumer’s knowledge and practice in relation to safe refrigerator should be carried out.