Table 2
Frequencies of correct answers to food safety knowledge questions in three countries.
Question Correct answers (%)
Overall
(n ¼ 377)
Serbia
(n ¼ 115)
Greece
(n ¼ 180)
Portugal
(n ¼ 82)
p-
value
Cross-contamination
The reason for storing raw and cooked food separately. 92.2 88.8 92.2 96.3 0.181
Good practice of storing raw meat and bean salad in the same refrigerator. 73 60.4 71.2 94.9 0.000*
The possibility of storing raw meat anywhere in the refrigerator when tightly sealed in plastic film. 50.7 59.1 48.3 44.2 0.090
Possible route of transferring food-borne pathogens:
Food handlers, 91 100 83.9 95.1 0.000*
Raw food (raw meat, raw eggs, raw vegetables, etc.), 85.1 88.3 81.7 88.9 0.188
Bread and bakery products, 64.9 45.2 80.6 47.5 0.000*
Insects. 82.8 90.5 74.4 92.5 0.000*
Vegetables for a salad splashed with a few drops of raw chicken juice can be rinsed with water and further
used for food preparation.
82.6 75.5 85 86.3 0.08
Good practice after using the cutting board for cutting raw foods. 90.2 90.4 89.4 91.5 0.091
Good practice after using the knife for cutting raw meat. 68.3 85.1 72.8 34.6 0.000*
Good practice of putting ice cubes in glass:
Using tongs, 91.7 99.1 87.2 91.5 0.002*
Using an ice scoop, 81.8 95.6 71.7 88.9 0.000*
Scooping ice into the ice cubes, 89.5 55.6 96.1 82.1 0.000*
Picking ice cubes with bare hands. 96.8 91.1 97.8 100 0.004*
Good practice of thawing food. 18.2 13.9 20.0 19.8 0.000*
Temperature regime
Food handlers' reaction when food is delivered at inadequate (too high) temperature. 52 32.2 56.1 71.3 0.000*
Optimal temperature for bacterial multiplication. 66.4 67.3 66.5 64.9 0.000*
Bacterial behaviour at chilled temperatures. 53.7 47.7 52.8 63.8 0.000*
Required temperature inside refrigerator. 81.9 79.5 80 89.7 0.000*
Given temperature of 13C is allowed for chilled storage of cold food. 40.5 32.3 49.4 29.9 0.002*
Good practice of portioning hot food in smaller portions when chilling. 60 69.4 50.6 69.5 0.001*
Maximum period for keeping cooked food at chilled 4 C. 90.5 93.5 85 98.8 0.000*
Minimal allowed temperature for keeping thermally processed warm food. 43.9 49 41.5 41.2 0.000*
Why it is important to measure internal temperature during thermal food preparation? 20.5 6.7 9.4 68.1 0.000*
Maximal tolerable temperature during oil or fats heating. 51.9 55.6 36.1 85.3 0.000*
Good practice and frequencies of changing oil or fats used for heating. 49.9 47.4 60.6 29.1 0.000*
If fish has been stored at temperature that is too warm, but then it is properly cooked to the correct internal
temperature, it becomes safe to eat.
66.7 71 65 65 0.557
Food handling and health problems
May handle food when:
…having a diarrhoea 80.9 81.8 87.8 64.2 0.000*
…having hypertension 69.5 60.4 63.3 95 0.000*
…having a cold 88.6 91.7 92.2 76.3 0.000*
…having a toothache 73.9 63.1 71.7 92.6 0.000*
…coughing and wearing protective mask 53 41.9 48.9 76.5 0.000*
…having raised temperature 71.3 73.6 74.4 61.3 0.078
…vomiting 93.7 92.2 93.9 95.1 0.716
…I had cut myself 89.8 85.6 93.3 87.5 0.084
…wearing nail polish 91.3 88.8 90.6 96.3 0.172
…I am upset 69.6 65.7 59.4 97.5 0.000*
…having wounds on my hands 93.4 92.5 97.2 86.3 0.004*
Good practice when handler had an open cut on his finger and working on ready to eat food preparation. 87.9 91.6 85 90.1 0.222
Hand hygiene
Washing hands is mandatory after…
…handling raw foods 97.6 99.1 95.6 100 0.041*
…using the toilet 97.9 100 95.6 100 0.011*
…touching money 95.2 99.1 91.7 97.6 0.008*
…handling garbage 98.4 100 96.7 100 0.036*
…blowing nose 97.3 99.1 95 100 0.024*
…eating or drinking 90.4 97.4 83.3 96.3 0.000*
Food and food-borne diseases
Identification of food contaminated with food-borne pathogens. 36.3 20.9 48.9 28.9 0.000*
Identification of cooked food that might cause food-borne disease. 27.2 25.5 35.9 10.3 0.000*
Identification of food that might cause food-borne disease if not properly cooked.
Beef 70.5 93.5 55.6 73.2 0.000*
Eggs 82.3 93.4 72.2 90.1 0.000*
Carrots 91.7 77.3 95.6 98.8 0.000*
Poultry 95.6 98.1 96.1 91.5 0.079
Identification of sterilized food. 45.8 48.5 43.3 48.6 0.000*
Foodstuffs frequently implicated in Salmonella food poisoning:
Eggs 85.8 97.1 75.6 93.9 0.000*
Dairy 47.4 70.6 31.7 58.4 0.000*
Fish 57.6 45.8 68.3 43.6 0.000*
Chicken meat 85.7 93.6 90 67.1 0.000*
Potato puree 82.4 72.7 96.1 59.5 0.000*
Common symptoms of food-borne diseases