Assessing the food safety and hygiene of cafeterias at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Cawangan Selangor

The compliance and cleanliness of cafeterias play a crucial role in ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses. However, cafeterias within educational institutions, including Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Cawangan Selangor, continue to face challenges in adhering to hygiene standards as stipulated under the Food Act 1983 and the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009. Although hygiene inspections are conducted by university health authorities, limited published data provides a comprehensive evaluation of compliance levels, particularly in the areas of food handling practices, personal hygiene, and facility cleanliness based on standardised evaluation criteria. This study aims to assess the food safety and hygiene status of cafeterias in UiTM Cawangan Selangor by evaluating four key areas: food handling practices, personal hygiene of food handlers, facility compliance with hygiene regulations, and the hygiene grading of each cafeteria according to the Food Premises Grading Programme. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in April and May 2024 using structured on-site inspections and interviews. Thirty-one cafeterias were assessed using the Cafeteria Evaluation Inspection Form developed by the UiTM Health Unit. The results revealed that while some practices showed high compliance, such as food labelling (90.3%) and proper waste disposal (96.8%), several critical areas remained problematic. Only 45.2% of cafeterias stored cooked food in closed containers, 32.3% lacked soap at handwashing stations, and 61.3% failed to implement adequate pest control measures. Furthermore, only 38.7% of cafeterias were rated as clean and well-organised, and just 67.7% of food handlers possessed valid typhoid vaccination and health check-up records. Based on overall hygiene scores, 12.9% of cafeterias received Grade A, 58.1% Grade B, while 12.9% and 16.1% were categorised under Grades C and D, respectively, indicating unsatisfactory to poor hygiene conditions. These findings underscore the need for strengthened hygiene enforcement, enhanced training, and consistent monitoring to ensure compliance with legal food safety standards. It is recommended that UiTM take a more proactive role in conducting regular inspections, promoting hygiene education, and ensuring food handler certification. Improving hygiene practices within campus food environments is vital to preventing foodborne illnesses and safeguarding the health of students, staff, and visitors.