Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Jordanian women handling food at home during COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerns over food safety issues during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) have sparked worldwide interest. Being part of a farm-to-fork food safety chain, food handlers at home are the final line of defense in reducing foodborne diseases. The present study used a cross-sectional survey to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of women food handlers in Jordan. The survey investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on women who handle food at home in terms of food safety KAP. One thousand one hundred twenty-six respondents completed a food safety questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a mean score of 22.1 points out of 42, the results showed that women who handle food in their houses had insufficient knowledge, negative attitudes, and incorrect practices concerning food safety. The respondents demonstrated high knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitation areas (≥ 60.0%). On the other hand, participants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding contamination prevention, health issues that would affect food safety, symptoms of foodborne illnesses, safe storage, thawing, cooking, keeping, and reheating of foods, as well as COVID-19 were all low (< 60.0%). The correlations between participants' total food safety KAP scores and education, age, experience, region, and the pandemic effect on food safety were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first conducted in Jordan to investigate food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices by women handling food at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Detection of Salmonella Enteritidis in Milk Using Conductometric Immunosensor Coated on Polyaniline/Zinc Oxide Nanocomposite.

The demand for rapid and accurate detection methods for Salmonella Enteritidis necessitates the development of highly sensitive and specific biosensors to ensure proper monitoring of food safety and quality requirements in the food sector and to secure human health. This study focused on development of a polyaniline/zinc oxide (PANI/ZnO) nanocomposite film on a gold electrode conductometric immunosensor for detection of Salmonella Enteritidis. The sensor was modified with monoclonal anti-Salmonella Enteritidis antibodies as biorecognition elements. The fabricated sensor was able to detect and quantify the target pathogen within 30 min and showed a good detection range from 101 to 105 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for Salmonella Enteritidis and a minimum detection limit of 6.44 CFU/mL in 0.1% peptone water. Additionally, the fabricated sensor showed good selectivity and detection limit toward the target bacterium and successfully determined Salmonella Enteritidis content in ultrahigh heat-treated skim milk samples without pretreatment of the food sample.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices among female food handlers engaged in home-based online food businesses in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Home-based online food businesses have expanded as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The objectives of the current study were to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among female food handlers who are engaged in home-based online food businesses in Jordan and to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food safety measures amongst food providers. The study was a cross-sectional survey. A validated, reliable questionnaire was distributed among female food handlers who are engaged in home-based online food businesses via social media platforms. The researchers also reached out to the participants via cellphone calls. A total of 204 respondents completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that the respondents had low knowledge, negative attitudes, and improper practices toward food safety with a mean score of 22.6 out of 42 points (53.8%). In "personal hygiene" and "cleaning and sanitation" aspects, the respondents showed a high score of KAP (≥60.0%). Respondents had low KAP scores (<60.0%) in the areas of "cross-contamination prevention", "safe storage, thawing, cooking, holding, and reheating of foods", "health problems that would affect food safety", "symptoms of foodborne diseases" and "COVID-19 KAP". There was a significant correlation (P < 0.05) between the overall food safety KAP score and both the age of the participant and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on participants' concerns about food safety. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore food safety KAP among female food handlers who are engaged in food businesses at homes in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is expected to benefit regulatory authorities establish food safety standards and regulations for home-based food businesses.