TITLE:
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Food Handlers in Attieke Production Units in Relation to Food Hygiene and Safety in Côte d’Ivoire in 2012
AUTHORS:
Theodore N. Djéni, Alfred K. Kouamé, Youssouf Traoré, Rose K. Nevry, Marcellin K. Dje
KEYWORDS:
Attieke, Food Handlers, Hygienic Practices, Production Units
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.5 No.10,
April
30,
2014
ABSTRACT: The aims of this
study were to investigate the food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers
and to assess the sanitary conditions of attieke production units in the South of C?te d’Ivoire. A cross-sectional study was
conducted during 4 months in 2012 in 7 localities and data were collected using
questionnaire and observation checklist and microbiological analysis of hands.
A total of 775 attieke production
units were involved in this survey. Seventy-one percent (71%) were located on
public domains and only 70 production units (9%) used septic tank as a mean of
final deposal for liquid waste. Hygiene conditions and practices of food handlers
in attieke production units were
inadequate. The presence of specific microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter agglomerans, Citrobacter youngae, Klebsiella oxytoca and Citrobacter freundi was indicative of a degree of ignorance on the part of food handlers towards
proper hygienic practices.