Food safety knowledge and microbial status of food contact surfaces in Primary Schools in Morogoro Municipal, Tanzania
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Date
2025-07-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Health Research
Abstract
Introduction: Several outbreaks of foodborne illnesses to school children have been reported in
different countries where food service workers are quested to be responsible due to poor knowledge
and practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the food safety knowledge among food
service workers and microbial status of food contact surfaces in private primary school in Morogoro
Municipal, Tanzania.
Methods: This study involved 60 food service workers who were purposively selected from 8 private
primary schools. A structured questionnaire and checklist were employed to assess their food safety
knowledge, and a total of 75 samples from food contact surfaces (cups, spoons, and plates) were
collected from school kitchens for microbiological analysis.
Results: The study involved 60 food service workers, with the majority being female (73.3%) and
married (65%). Education levels ranged from primary to secondary school (41.7%), with the least
illiterate (3.3%). The survey demonstrated a significant level of food safety knowledge, with an average
score of 81%. The study indicates that food service workers recognize the need for hand hygiene, with
96.6% washing their hands before and after food preparation, and 96.6% asserting that it mitigates the
risk of food contamination. The study found moderate contamination levels in cups and plates, with
mean total viable count (TVC) values ranging from 2.19 to 2.67 log CFU/ml, and total coliform count
(TCC) in various schools (0 to 1.23 log CFU/ml). E. coli contamination in food service indicates gaps in
hygienic practices, despite workers' awareness of cleanliness and personal hygiene. E. coli
contamination was detected in cups in school A and E, with 20% contamination in cups and 40%
contamination in plates, indicating possible faecal contamination.
Conclusion: The study found that while school food service personnel have a moderate food safety
knowledge, they still struggle with microbial contamination on food contact surfaces. The detection
of E. coli on certain surfaces highlights deficiencies in hygiene protocols, possibly due to insufficient
training, resources, or incentives.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Food service workers, Food safety knowledge, Food contact surfaces, Microbial status
Citation
https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/thrb.v26i4.9