World Applied Sciences Journal 22 (1): 35-40, 2013 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.22.01.2949 Correspondent Author: Nizar Issa Alrabadi, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jerash, Jordan. Tel: +962-779982677. 35 Food Safety: A Study of Jordanian Consumer's Knowledge and Practices Nizar Issa Alrabadi, Motasem AL-Massad and Omar Alboqai 1 2 1 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, 1 Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jerash, Jordan Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Jarash University 2 Abstract: This study investigated the Jordanian consumers' knowledge and self-reported practices of safe food handling. A questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was distributed on 300 randomly selected consumers. The answers of 208 respondents were analyzed. The results showed that Jordanian consumers follow some safety rules when they prepare or purchase food products while they lack awareness of some others. Additionally, statistically significant differences in purchasing behavior and safe food handling were found between males and female and between respondents of different ages and income levels. Finally, a microbial analysis of samples of the traditional dish in Jordan (Mansaf) collected from several houses indicated low bacterial counts. Thus, food hygiene knowledge and attitudes of Jordanian households who prepare food were satisfactory. Key words: Food Safety Purchasing Behavior Jordanian Consumer Safe Handling knowledge Practices Microbial Count INTRODUCTION The studies that examined the effect of demographic Food safety is an international concern. Considerable and practices generally found that they were more likely proportion of foodborne diseases is owing to unsafe to increase with age, the level of education and experience food-handling practices. WHO [1] reported that these in food preparation [12-14]. Moreover, females were found diseases were found to affect more than 30% of the to be more familiar with safe food-handling procedures population in developed countries. The problem is than males [8, 15-19]. Older adults showed better expected to be even more severe in developing countries. knowledge of food safety rules than younger adults Thus, enhancing the consumer knowledge of safety respondents [20, 21]. rules would minimize pathogenic microorganisms in Studies of food safety knowledge and practices are food. Great academic interest has been given to few in Jordan. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is investigate the knowledge and self reported practices of the first study that directly tackles this issue in Jordan. food safety overall the world [2]. Researchers found The remaining of the study is organized as follows: different results. People were found to know major rules Section 2 describes data and methodology. Section 3 specifically hygiene issues and there were a lack of reports the results. Section 4 discusses them. Section 5 understanding to many important ones [3]. Consumers in concludes. many societies seemed to be unfamiliar with the ideal refrigeration temperature [2, 4-8]. Large numbers of MATERIALS AND METHODS consumers did not use a thermometer during food preparation [5, 7, 9]. Most consumers lack awareness of The study used a questionnaire divided into three the different classes of bacteria and especially the sections, the first asked about the demographic pathogenic ones [2, 9]. On the other hand, most characteristics of the respondents. The second explored respondents in different studies recognized that hand the purchasing behavior of food products while the third washing is a necessary food safety practice [2, 6, 9-11]. examined the consumer knowledge of safety rules of characteristics on consumer's food safety knowledge