This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

EMPHNET 7th Regional Conference 2021: “Towards Public Health Resilience in the EMR: Breaking Barriers” (62)

Published on in Vol 8, No 1 (2022): Jan-Dec

Preprints (earlier versions) of this paper are available at https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/36617, first published .
Consumers’ Food Safety Knowledge and Practices During COVID-19 in Jordan: Web-based Survey

Consumers’ Food Safety Knowledge and Practices During COVID-19 in Jordan: Web-based Survey

Consumers’ Food Safety Knowledge and Practices During COVID-19 in Jordan: Web-based Survey

Authors of this article:

Eva Inam Al Zein1 Author Orcid Image ;   Amjad Rashaideh2 ;   Khaled Kheirallah3 Author Orcid Image ;   Hala Khazally1 ;   Mamoun Syaheen1
Article Authors Cited by Tweetations Metrics

Abstract

1Jordan Food and Drug Administration, Food Directorate, Domestic Food Safety Department, Amman, Jordan

2Jordan Food and Drug Administration, Food Directorate, Amman, Jordan

3Jordan University for Science and Technology, Medical School, Public Health Department, Irbid, Jordan

Corresponding Author:

Eva Inam Al Zein, MD, MPH

Jordan Food and Drug Administration

Food Directorate

Domestic Food Safety Department

Shafa Badran

Marj Al Faras

Amman, 11181/811951

Jordan

Phone: 1 65632000 ext 2347

Fax:1 5105916

Email: eva.alzain@jfda.jo


Background: In Western countries, several studies have reported changes in consumers’ behaviors regarding food safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shared responsibility of food safety, between governments, food businesses, and consumers, has been well recognized and calls for extra preventive measures and recommendations to be introduced for food handlers, producers, and consumers. Little, however, is known about food safety in developing countries, including Jordan.

Objective: This study assessed the food safety knowledge and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic era in Jordan.

Methods: A web-based, self-administered questionnaire, published via the Jordan Food and Drug Administration website and social media platforms (March-July 2021), was utilized. The questionnaire assessed COVID-19 preventive measures (11 questions), food safety knowledge, (13 questions), and food safety practices (12 questions). Descriptive statistics were presented.

Results: In total, 969 respondents gave valid responses, of which 588 (60.7%) were females, 325 (33.5%) were 38-49 years old, 628 (64.8%) were married, 623 (64.3%) had college or bachelor degrees, 376 (38.8%) were from the central region, 809 (83.5%) were living in urban settings, and 313 (32.3%) had a medical background. The mean (SD) food safety knowledge score was 8.34 (2.33; range 0-13). Mean food safety knowledge scores were significantly different (P<.05) by age, marital status, education, field of study, training in food safety, employment status, monthly family income, and area of residence but not by gender and number of family members. Statistically significant correlations between mean knowledge scores and COVID-19 practice scores (P<.001, r=0.183) and food safety practice scores (P<.001, r=0.346) were detected.

Conclusions: Consumers seem to have adequate food safety knowledge and follow COVID-19-related preventive measures, which may transfer to better food practices and prevention of diseases, such as foodborne illnesses and COVID-19. Further studies and interventions in this regard are needed in Jordan.

iproc 2022;8(1):e36617

doi:10.2196/36617

Keywords

food safety (4); COVID-19 (3079); knowledge (123); practices (20) 

Edited by Y Khader; This is a non–peer-reviewed article. submitted 19.01.22; accepted 19.01.22; published 07.02.22

Copyright

©Eva Inam Al Zein, Amjad Rashaideh, Khaled Kheirallah, Hala Khazally, Mamoun Syaheen. Originally published in Iproceedings (https://www.iproc.org), 07.02.2022.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in Iproceedings, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.iproc.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.