Consumers' perceptions and awareness of safe food preparation practices at homes in Trinidad, West Indies

Abstract

The objectives were to evaluate consumer perception and awareness of safe food preparation practices at homes. A questionnaire was self-administered to 124 consumers who were primarily responsible for preparation of foods and owned a refrigerator at home. Data were analysed by frequencies and chi-square. Most (97.6%) consumers considered safe food practices as ‘very important’. Few (8.9%) related Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point to safe food preparation practices. Microbiological hazard was ranked as a most serious threat to food safety (80.5%). Salmonella was most well known (79.8%). Diarrhoea (23.7%) was a common symptom of food-borne illness. More than 50% would ‘always’ check for expiry dates on labels, seals and would never purchase swollen cans. Only 48.4% consumers used separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables ‘always’. Some (6.5%) felt it was appropriate to give unfit food to someone else. The study identified critical points in safe food preparation practices for effective public health education.