Evaluation of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of food workers in terms of food safety: The case of Adana province

In this thesis study, it is aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of food workers in terms of food safety. The study was carried out using the scanning method, one of the quantitative research techniques. A survey form was used as a data collection tool. The survey was conducted with food workers aged 18 and over working in the kitchen and service departments of restaurants, cafe-pastry shops, fast food establishments, hotel restaurants, mass food production places/catering establishments operating in Adana. The survey was conducted with 411 participants between March and May 2023, 125 of which were conducted electronically and 286 of which were conducted face-to-face. The analysis of the data was done on a computer using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 24.0 package data program. The knowledge level of food workers on food safety was examined and according to the results of the research, it was determined that the knowledge level of the participants was high and was 75.39%. In the survey form in which participants' food safety knowledge was measured, the most correct answers (94.01%) were to questions related to personal hygiene, while the lowest correct answers (36.97%) were to questions related to foodborne pathogens. According to the results of the analysis, it was seen that the knowledge level of food workers explained 8% of the behaviors in food safety, and the attitude of food workers explained 2% of the behaviors in food safety. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the knowledge levels of food workers regarding food safety did not differ significantly according to the type of business, but their attitudes and behaviors regarding food safety differed significantly according to the type of business. According to the correlation analysis conducted to determine whether there is a significant relationship between food workers' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding food safety, it was seen that there was a positive, low-level significant relationship between the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of food workers (p<0.05).