Food safety knowledge and practices of a
Food safety knowledge and practices of
adolescents in Brunei Darussalam
Ampuan Hj Said,
1,2
A.N. ,
Andriske,
1
X.P.
& Button,
1
P.D.
1 School
of Applied Sciences (Discipline of Food Science), RMIT University; Melbourne, Australia
2 Ministry of Education, Government of Brunei Darussalam; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Introduction
Cases of foodborne illnesses occur daily worldwide with Brunei
Key findings
(A) Food Safety Knowledge Questionnaires (MCQs)
Figure 2: Percentage of correct answer for Question 5*
Figure 1: Percentage of correct answer for Question 3*
Darussalam no exception. In recent reported cases of
19.5
24.4
22.6
25
foodborne disease in Brunei Darussalam, the food safety
20
21.2
18
16
20
14
cause.
Most foodborne disease outbreaks occurred due to
improper food preparation and improper storage of food
(Ministry of Health, 2003). An understanding of the basic rules
of food safety in the domestic environment is therefore vital for
Male
12.5
15
Percengtage
practices of younger consumers were identified as a major
Percentage
15.4
Female
8.3
10
12.9
11.1
12
Male
9.1
10
Female
6.3
8
6
3.8
4
5
2
0
0
11-13
14-16
Age Group
11-13
17-20
*Question 3: It is safe to defrost raw meat:
(a) in the refrigerator, (b) on the kitchen counter or (c) soaked in water.
14-16
Age Group
17-20
*Question 5: In the fridge, it is safe to store raw meat covered properly on the:
(a) top shelf, (b) middle shelf or (c) lower shelf.
(B) Food Safety Behaviour Questionnaires
Figure 3: Percentage of respondents for Statement 7*
all age groups, to ensure correct practices in preparation and
70
62.5
61
cooking of food are carried out. As a result, targeted education
50
48.3
50
Percentage
campaigns may be introduced to ensure correct food safety
60
practices are followed from a younger age. As the first step, to
44.4
38.7
Age Group:
43.9
11-13
38.5
40
14-16
31.7
17-20
25
30
20
12.9
12.5
11.5
7.3
10
acheving this, a food safety survey was conducted among
52.8
50
6.1
2.8
0
Never
Sometimes
Always
Never
Sometimes
Male
Always
Female
Gender Difference and Frequency of Practice
adolescents to assess the levels of food safety knowledge and
*Statement 7: I clean and sanitise the kitchen tops and areas after I finish preparing and cooking food (Personal and Kitchen Hygiene)
food safety behaviours in relation to age and gender.
Figure 4: Percentage of respondents for Statement 22*
68.3
66.7
70
61.3
56.3
60
50
53
Age Group:
50
Aim
Percentage
11-13
40
14-16
31.3
30
28.8
26.8
26.9
23.1
22.8
22.2
17-20
18.2
To assess the food safety knowledge and food safety behaviour
of young adolescents in Brunei Darussalam.
20
10
12.9
12.5
11.1
4.9
0
Never
Sometimes
Always
Never
Male
Sometimes
Always
Female
Gender Difference & Frequency of Practice
*Statement 22: I keep cooked food at 60 °C or above until served (Keeping Food at Safe Temperature)
Materials and Methods
Subjects
Results and Discussion
Only a small percentage of respondents knew the correct method to
defrost (Figure 1) and store raw meat (Figure 2). There were no
A total of 216 secondary school students, 88 males and 128
significant differences between sex and between age groups.
females completed a domestic food safety survey. Respondents
Females were better in cleaning and sanitising the kitchen after use
were in the 11-13 years, 14-16 years and 17-20 years.
than males - the practice improved in the older age groups (Figure
Instrumentation
3). On the other hand, majority of respondents did not keep cooked
A domestic food safety survey included questionnaires which
food at the appropriate temperature (Figure 4).
were divided into three sections, covering:
adolescents from the 14-16 age group were better in keeping food at
• Demographics
safe temperatures. It is clear that the food safety knowledge of
• Food safety knowledge
However, the
adolescents in Brunei Darussalam was insufficient. Even if it is
suitable, they practice incorrect behaviour in the kitchen, especially in
• Food safety behaviour and practices
preparing and storage of food. Thus, there is a need to educate them
Data analysis
on domestic food safety rules. This would be critical to minimise
The data was analysed with the SPSS Software (version 11.5)
microbiological food hazards, thus preventing outbreaks of foodborne
to find the mean scores, standard deviations and p-values.
disease (Haapala & Probart, 2004) – especially given their future
Independent sample t-test was used to assess the difference
roles as caregivers (Abbot et al., 2009).
between age and gender. Statistical significance was set at p
adolescents in Brunei Darussalam
Ampuan Hj Said,
1,2
A.N. ,
Andriske,
1
X.P.
& Button,
1
P.D.
1 School
of Applied Sciences (Discipline of Food Science), RMIT University; Melbourne, Australia
2 Ministry of Education, Government of Brunei Darussalam; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Introduction
Cases of foodborne illnesses occur daily worldwide with Brunei
Key findings
(A) Food Safety Knowledge Questionnaires (MCQs)
Figure 2: Percentage of correct answer for Question 5*
Figure 1: Percentage of correct answer for Question 3*
Darussalam no exception. In recent reported cases of
19.5
24.4
22.6
25
foodborne disease in Brunei Darussalam, the food safety
20
21.2
18
16
20
14
cause.
Most foodborne disease outbreaks occurred due to
improper food preparation and improper storage of food
(Ministry of Health, 2003). An understanding of the basic rules
of food safety in the domestic environment is therefore vital for
Male
12.5
15
Percengtage
practices of younger consumers were identified as a major
Percentage
15.4
Female
8.3
10
12.9
11.1
12
Male
9.1
10
Female
6.3
8
6
3.8
4
5
2
0
0
11-13
14-16
Age Group
11-13
17-20
*Question 3: It is safe to defrost raw meat:
(a) in the refrigerator, (b) on the kitchen counter or (c) soaked in water.
14-16
Age Group
17-20
*Question 5: In the fridge, it is safe to store raw meat covered properly on the:
(a) top shelf, (b) middle shelf or (c) lower shelf.
(B) Food Safety Behaviour Questionnaires
Figure 3: Percentage of respondents for Statement 7*
all age groups, to ensure correct practices in preparation and
70
62.5
61
cooking of food are carried out. As a result, targeted education
50
48.3
50
Percentage
campaigns may be introduced to ensure correct food safety
60
practices are followed from a younger age. As the first step, to
44.4
38.7
Age Group:
43.9
11-13
38.5
40
14-16
31.7
17-20
25
30
20
12.9
12.5
11.5
7.3
10
acheving this, a food safety survey was conducted among
52.8
50
6.1
2.8
0
Never
Sometimes
Always
Never
Sometimes
Male
Always
Female
Gender Difference and Frequency of Practice
adolescents to assess the levels of food safety knowledge and
*Statement 7: I clean and sanitise the kitchen tops and areas after I finish preparing and cooking food (Personal and Kitchen Hygiene)
food safety behaviours in relation to age and gender.
Figure 4: Percentage of respondents for Statement 22*
68.3
66.7
70
61.3
56.3
60
50
53
Age Group:
50
Aim
Percentage
11-13
40
14-16
31.3
30
28.8
26.8
26.9
23.1
22.8
22.2
17-20
18.2
To assess the food safety knowledge and food safety behaviour
of young adolescents in Brunei Darussalam.
20
10
12.9
12.5
11.1
4.9
0
Never
Sometimes
Always
Never
Male
Sometimes
Always
Female
Gender Difference & Frequency of Practice
*Statement 22: I keep cooked food at 60 °C or above until served (Keeping Food at Safe Temperature)
Materials and Methods
Subjects
Results and Discussion
Only a small percentage of respondents knew the correct method to
defrost (Figure 1) and store raw meat (Figure 2). There were no
A total of 216 secondary school students, 88 males and 128
significant differences between sex and between age groups.
females completed a domestic food safety survey. Respondents
Females were better in cleaning and sanitising the kitchen after use
were in the 11-13 years, 14-16 years and 17-20 years.
than males - the practice improved in the older age groups (Figure
Instrumentation
3). On the other hand, majority of respondents did not keep cooked
A domestic food safety survey included questionnaires which
food at the appropriate temperature (Figure 4).
were divided into three sections, covering:
adolescents from the 14-16 age group were better in keeping food at
• Demographics
safe temperatures. It is clear that the food safety knowledge of
• Food safety knowledge
However, the
adolescents in Brunei Darussalam was insufficient. Even if it is
suitable, they practice incorrect behaviour in the kitchen, especially in
• Food safety behaviour and practices
preparing and storage of food. Thus, there is a need to educate them
Data analysis
on domestic food safety rules. This would be critical to minimise
The data was analysed with the SPSS Software (version 11.5)
microbiological food hazards, thus preventing outbreaks of foodborne
to find the mean scores, standard deviations and p-values.
disease (Haapala & Probart, 2004) – especially given their future
Independent sample t-test was used to assess the difference
roles as caregivers (Abbot et al., 2009).
between age and gender. Statistical significance was set at p