Analysis of the hygienic-sanitary quality and knowledge of food handlers in the food industry

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62827/nb.v24i4.3079

Keywords:

Food Security; Food Quality; Good Manipulation Practices; Food Hygiene; Food Industry.

Abstract

Introduction: Foodborne diseases (FBDs) represent a global public health problem, and food safety is fundamental for preventing contamination. In the food industry, the adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the technical knowledge of food handlers are essential to guarantee the hygienic-sanitary quality of products. Objective: This study evaluated the hygienic-sanitary quality and knowledge level of food handlers in a food industry in Teresina, Piauí, identifying the gap between theory and practice. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 82 food handlers. The hygienic-sanitary evaluation was based on ANVISA's RDC No. 275/2002, and knowledge was measured using a 20-question questionnaire on GMP. Multivariate analyses were applied using the R software, with composite quality indices (IQHS) and knowledge indices (ICM). Results: The industry presented 78.6% (182) of adequate items and an overall IQHS of 88.27% (143), with better results in the documentary and structural categories. “Storage and Transportation” 66.7% (6) and “Handlers” 76.9% presented the highest non-conformities. The ICM indicated high theoretical knowledge 97.6% (81), but with a gap of 20.7 percentage points between knowledge and practice. The risk matrix classified “Storage and Transportation” as a critical category. Conclusion: An excellent level of knowledge among handlers was described, but operational deficiencies in the application of GMP were evident, highlighting the need for continuous supervision, mentoring programs, and strengthening the food safety culture. The applied statistical methodology proved effective for diagnosing and managing quality in the food industry.

Author Biographies

  • Hellen Marinho Rocha, UNIFSA

    Centro Universitário Santo Agostinho (UNIFSA), Teresina, PI, Brasil

  • Keila Cristiane Batista Bezerra, UNIFSA

    Centro Universitário Santo Agostinho (UNIFSA), Teresina, PI, Brasil

References

World Health Organization. Food Safety. Geneva: WHO; 2020. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Surtos de doenças de transmissão hídrica e alimentar no Brasil: Informe 2024 [Internet]. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2024. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/assuntos/saude-de-a-a-z/d/dtha/publicacoes

Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária. Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada - RDC nº 275, de 21 de outubro de 2002. Dispõe sobre o Regulamento Técnico de Procedimentos Operacionais Padronizados aplicados aos Estabelecimentos Produtores/Industrializadores de Alimentos e a Lista de Verificação das Boas Práticas de Fabricação em Estabelecimentos Produtores/Industrializadores de Alimentos. Diário Oficial da União. 2002.

Medeiros CO, Cavalli SB, Salay E, Proença RPC. Assessment of the methodological strategies adopted by food safety training programmes for food service workers: a systematic review. Food Control. 2017;76:114-33.

Cunha J, Silva MR, Santos AP. Avaliação do nível de aprendizagem de manipuladores de uma indústria de biscoitos antes e após treinamentos sobre boas práticas de fabricação. Res Soc Dev. 2023;12(9):e42129842156.

Jespersen L, MacLaurin T, Vlerick P. Development and validation of a scale to capture social desirability in food safety culture assessments. Food Control. 2019;82:42-7.

Yu H, Song Y, Lv W, Liu D, Huang H. Food safety risk assessment and countermeasures in China based on risk matrix method. Front Sustain Food Syst. 2024;8:1351826.

Tang X, Li M, Wang Y, Zhang H, Liu J. Construction of a food safety evaluation system based on the factor analysis of mixed data method. Foods. 2024;13(18):2935.

Granato D, Santos JS, Escher GB, Ferreira BL, Maggio RM. Use of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) for multivariate association between bioactive compounds and functional properties in foods: a critical perspective. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2018;72:83-90.

Feitosa JVP, Andrade PM. Segurança dos alimentos e ferramentas da qualidade. Encicl Biosfera. 2022;19(39). Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.18677/encibio_2022a21

Rebouças KCFA, Jorge MMO, Silva EA, Santos BGF, Lopes CLR, Santos GM, et al. Avaliação das condições higiênico-sanitárias e físico-estruturais em unidades de alimentação e nutrição de um estado do nordeste brasileiro. Cad Saúde Colet. 2021;25(1):66-71. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.17921/1415-6938.2021v25n1p66-71

Pai A, Jaiswal S, Jaiswal AK. A comprehensive review of food safety culture in the food industry: leadership, organizational commitment, and multicultural dynamics. Foods. 2024;13(24):4078. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244078

Liggans G, Kim SR. How food safety culture is operationalized for retail food settings: a systematic literature review. SAGE Open. 2024;14(1). Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241236585

Palumbo R, Douglas AU. The secret ingredient? Uncovering the effect of organizational culture on quality management: a literature review. Int J Qual Reliab Manag. 2023;40(10):2508-33. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1108/ijqrm-03-2023-0077

Madilo FK, Kunadu APH, Tano-Debrah K. Challenges with food safety adoption: a review. J Food Saf. 2024;44(3):e13099. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfs.13099

Sousa AA, Paz FAN, Carvalho LMF, Bezerra KCB, Landim LASR. Condições higiênico-sanitárias em unidades produtoras de refeições: uma revisão. Res Soc Dev. 2020;9(11):e111121143460. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i11.10017

Apolinar AMN, Ibáñez AMA. Factores críticos asociados a la implementación de un sistema haccp en la industria de alimentos y bebidas en colombia. @limentech. 2023;20(1). Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.24054/limentech.v20i1.1470

Manning L, Morris W, Birchmore I. Organisational forgetting: The food safety risk associated with unintentional knowledge loss. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2021;118:242-51. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.08.028

Firjatulloh MB, Kholidah D. Analisis kepatuhan higiene penjamah makanan dan sanitasi peralatan di Whitespoon Catering Malang. Nutriture J. 2024;3(3):111. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.31290/nj.v3i3.4967

Borges IS, González Y, Soledad-Rodríguez BE. Diseño de plan de mejoras del sistema de gestión de inocuidad alimentaria basado en la norma ISO 22000, en una empresa manufacturera de empaques. Tekhn. 2023;26(1):1-25. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.62876/tekhn.v26i1.6135

Hassan A, Khan MKI, Fordos S, Hassan SA, Khalid S, Hasan A. Food safety and quality assurance in the supply chain of Pakistan. Foods. 2023;12(15):2935. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods2023-15023

Bradford-Knox R, Neighbour S. Food safety culture. Food Sci Technol. 2020;34(1):32-4. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsat.3401_9.x

Mac TH, Nguyen PTT, Minh DN, Ta TTQ, Spagnoli P, Uyttendaele M, et al. Towards a risk-based food safety management system in the fresh produce supply chain in Da Nang, Viet Nam. SSRN Electron J. 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4720045

Hamsiati H, Hasbi AR, Arif M, Suni NS. The role of sanitation, hygiene, and safety education in enhancing economic efficiency in the food service industry. J Econ Educ Entrep Stud. 2024;5(4):631-43. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.62794/je3s.v5i4.4530

Eruaga MA. Advancing food safety through iot: real-time monitoring and control systems. Eng Sci Technol J. 2024;5(3). Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.51594/estj.v5i3.907

Published

2026-03-09

Issue

Section

Artigos originais

How to Cite

Analysis of the hygienic-sanitary quality and knowledge of food handlers in the food industry. (2026). Nutrição Brasil, 24(4), 1678-1690. https://doi.org/10.62827/nb.v24i4.3079

Most read articles by the same author(s)