Factors Related to Food Sanitation Behavior of Food Handlers of Prepared Food in the Tourist Area of the Upper Tapi River, Phipun District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

A Cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with the following objectives 1) to assess food establishments' compliance with food sanitation regulations, 2) to investigate microbial contamination in food, utensils, and food handlers' hands, and 3) to examine the relationships between personal factors and food sanitation behaviors among food preparers and handlers in the upper Tapi River tourist area, Phipun district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Forty-five food establishments were selected using a purposive sampling between October and December 2024. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and Chi-square statistics. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were females (73.13%), had over 10 years of experience operating food establishments (79.10%), and 55.22% had participated in the “Clean Food Good Taste” training. The most common deficiencies were related to the cleanliness, organization, and zoning of dining and food preparation areas (66.67%). Among ready-to-eat foods, clear soup (Gaeng Jued) had the highest rate of coliform bacterial contamination (44.44%). Cutting boards were found to be the most contaminated utensils, with coliform bacteria detected in 88.89% of cases. Food handlers' sanitation behavior was at a moderate level (mean=2.30, SD=0.27). Statistically significant relationships (p≤0.05) were found between food sanitation behaviors and several factors: employment status, work experience, on-the-job sanitation training, access to supportive media or activities, and participation in the Clean Food Good Taste program (χ²=123.50, 135.67, 129.80, 100.14, 110.25; p≤0.05).