Study on the hygiene knowledge of food handlers working in small and medium-sized companies in western Romania

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hygiene knowledge of food handlers of small and medium-sized companies in western Romania (the counties of Timis, Caras-Severin, Arad). 198 food handlers participated in this study, from the meat industry, dairy, bakery, catering, retail. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires distributed during 2010, their drafting and development being based on the requirements of Romanian and European legislation in the field of food hygiene. The mean value of hygiene knowledge of the food handlers was 63.2% with a standard deviation (SD) of 17.6%. The level of knowledge was influenced by the level of education (p = 0.011) and the field of activity of the respondents (p = 0.000). The study reveals gaps related to microbiological risks, cross-contamination and temperature control, demonstrating the need for the retraining of food handlers. At the same time the findings underline the need to assess and improve the training programs used in the Romanian food sector.