Food safety and hygienic practices observed in the college

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to present food safety knowledge and hygienic practices in the cafeterias in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Sudan University of Science and Technology, in Khartoum city ¬- Sudan. The study consisted of two parts. The first part tackled students’ and teachers’ behavior during breakfast snack in addition to a quick assessment of premises from a food safety point of view. The second part focused on food safety knowledge and practices among students and teachers. Results showed that only 4 cafeterias out of 8 (50%) keep foods at 5°C or below. With respect to cleanliness of refrigerators,3 out of 4 cafeterias visited (75%) did not clean their refrigerators enough. For personal hygiene, it was observed that 75% of respondents do not wash their hands properly after using toilet. This behavior may expose students to bacterial food poisoning such as salmonella and staphylococcus, which result into vomiting and severe abdominal pain. For the second part, the results showed that 75% of respondents eating their meal in college playground. Utilization of playground for eating and physical activity simultaneously may expose the area to more dust, which serves as a potential source of contamination. In survey questionnaire to assess food safety knowledge, 75% of the participants expressed their appreciation of the importance of food safety.