Determinants of safe food handling practice among food handlers in food establishments, Yeka sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Poor food handling practice is a key cause of foodborne diseases notably in developing countries like Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess food safety knowledge, attitude and practice of food handlers, establishments’ status and determinants of safe food handling practice. METHODS: The study utilized institution based cross-sectional study among food handlers working in Cafeterias, Restaurants and Hotels in Yeka sub city, Addis Ababa. A total of 284 food handlers: 69 from Cafeterias, 89 from Restaurants and 126 from non-stared Hotels were enrolled using stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected in observational checklist and through structured-questionnaire via face to face interview. A binary and multivariate logistic regression was used and adjusted for cofounders. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT: The present study has indicated 42.6% of food handlers had good food handling practice. Food handling practice in the establishments were significantly associated with sex, monthly income, availability of functional pipe water supply, availability of soap and/or detergents and presence of insects or rodents. CONCLUSION: Food handlers in the study area were executing in a poor food handling practice, as most of them were not knowledgeable as needed. In fact, revising the salary of food handlers based on their work load could be valid, as there is existing worldwide economic inflation. Likewise enhancing pipe water availability in the food premises and dispatching sufficient soaps and detergents coupled with eradicating ubiquitous insects and rodents are key.