Available Online at www.e-iph.co.uk Indexed in Clarivate Analytics (WoS), DOAJ and ScienceOPEN ASLI QoL2019 AicQoL2019Bali http://www.amerabra.org; https://fspu.uitm.edu.my/cebs 7 h AMER International Conference on Quality of Life Wina Holiday Villa, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia 16-17 Feb. 2019 eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i10.1568 Food Hygiene at On-Site Premises in Perak and Selangor: Are we ready for self-regulatory practices? Mazni Saad 1 , Mohd Hanafi Azman Ong 2 , Noor Suzana Osman 3 , Norhidayah Abdullah 4 1 Kulliyyah of Languages and Management, International Islamic University Malaysia, Pagoh Education Hub, KM 1, Jalan Panchor, Pagoh, 84600 Muar, Johor, Malaysia 2 Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Segamat, Johor, Malaysia 3 Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Campus, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia 4 Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia maznisaad@iium.edu.my, napieong@uitm.edu.my, noorsuzana@iium.edu.my, norhi813@salam.uitm.edu.my Tel:+60178787543 Abstract Safe and hygienic food add value to food intake and prevent undesirable health conditions. Food handlers who are at the forefront of the food service process must monitor and measure the standards of their food hygiene and its preparation and cooking practices. This study investigates how ready food handlers at on-site premises are for self-regulatory practices. Food surface contacts were chosen for investigation via purposive sampling and swab analysis to unravel hidden messages about the level of hygiene standards in the foodservice operation. The findings reveal the existence of contamination across the majority of the selected contact surfaces that could affect the consumers’ well -being and quality of life. Keywords: consumer well-being; food hygiene; food surface contact; food handler; the on-site premise eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i10.1568 1.0 Introduction Everybody needs food and water to grow, stay healthy, and have energy as part of sustaining one’s quality of life. Specifically, food with hygienic and safe elements will add value to food intake and prevent undesired health conditions. From a religious perspective, hygienic and safe food is kosher food for the Jews and halal food for the Muslims. Kosher in the Hebrew Bible means “fit” and “appropriate”. Halal is also a very crucial concept for all Muslims. The Quran, al Baqarah verse: 173 and 174 states; “ O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom ye worship “and “He hath forbidden you only carrion and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. However, he who is driven by necessity, neither caving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." Both the Jews and Muslims are only allowed to eat permitted-food according to the guidelines given by their respective holy books. Interestingly, the halal factor is now a trend for the tourism and hospitality industry as many tourists seek a guarantee for clean and safe food. Over the years, the demand for halal food has increased tremendously. The Global Halal Market recorded USD1.4 trillion in 2017 and was projected to reach USD2.6 trillion for 2018 due to the rising Muslim population and increasing availability of these products and services (Report Buyer, 2017).