The analysis of the knowledge level and behaviour related to food hygene of secondary school (1st and 2nd years) and university (freshman and senior) students with respect to different characteristics

This study was undertaken to show the effects of current food hygiene education to food shopping and consuming behaviours, with respect to the gender and education levels of secondary school/education students and university students. In the present research, a questionnaire was applied to 387 high school freshman and sophomore students in Yenimahalle and Keçiören counties of Ankara and 91 college students in the Biology and Chemistry Education Departments of Gazi Education Faculty, Gazi University. The research results showed that, students mostly consumed food products sold in the school canteen for lunch. Students also preferred unpacked foods such as fast foods, bagels, rich pastry and preferred fast food more than other products. It was also found that %89.7 of the students did not have any information on the ingredients and the producers of food sold at the canteen. Male students, preferred unpaced food more than the females (p<.05). One third (%33.3) of the students thought that government or school administration did not perform satisfactory control on food sold in or out of the schools. More than the half of students (%56.9) said they decided about their own food preferences. There were differences in gender in terms of type of nutrition preferences between male and female students; the female students were not pleased with their way of nutrition (p<.05). The students thought food poisoning (%23.6) and cancer (%19.9), as the most important health problems. Resulting from food consumption, 16.7 percent of first year high school and 17.7 percent of second year high school students said they had no idea in this matter. %71.5 percent of the university students, who had lunch at the cafeteria, said they were careful about food hygiene. The first and the most important thing that students cared, when preferring paced food were; expiry date, whether the package is opened or not and the brand. Students did not buy unpacked food, because they did not consider them hygienic (%25.7); did not have confidence (%12.6) and because they did not know what the ingredients were(%12.3). Food they disposed of were mostly when it was spoiled (%22.1) or the date expired (%20.2). When comparisons were made between male and female students and university and high school students, it was found that female students and university students read the label instructions more (p<.05). These students, especially read the expiry date and ingredients sections. To reduce foodborne disease incidence; it is thought that food hygiene education must be given to students during secondary education and especially to teacher trainees.