Food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of food handlers in foodservice establishment at tourism attractions in Terengganu / Norzaidah Ngali, Norazlina Rahmat & Noralisa Ismail

In Malaysia, issues on food safety are not new. More often than not, issues of unsafe food handling, doubtful food preparation, unsystematic food storage, HALAL issue and food poisoning have long been the concerns of the Malaysian public. Research by Howes et al (1996), Powell, Atwell and Massey (1997) and Clayton et al (2002) indicated that although training might increase the knowledge on food safety, this did not always result in positive changes in food handling practices. In relation to that, the failure of food handler to provide positive gastronomic experience such as good food handling during vacation will disrupt trips and tarnish destination reputations (Pendergast, 2006). This situation will also lead to tourists developing negative perception towards the eatery at tourism attractions.

This research investigated and explored the knowledge and attitudes of food handlers towards safe food handling; whether they were able to influence and affect the food safety practices among them or vice versa. This research employed questionnaire survey as the instrumentation. It was self-administered and distributed to food handlers at tourism attractions in Terengganu.

The outcomes of the research hopefully will provide better comprehension of knowledge, attitudes and food safety practices among the food handlers, as they are one of the main contributors in attracting tourists to foodservice establishment at tourism attractions. The relevant policy makers are recommended to enforce food safety and hygiene culture to the food handlers in order to boost more economic developments at tourism attractions in Terengganu.