Food safety knowledge and practices among casual dining restaurants in Villa de Arevalo District

Abstract

Casual dining restaurants are very essential in the hospitality and tourism sector as they allow customers to have a relaxed, enjoyable dining experience. However, food safety in these restaurants must be maintained, not only for customer satisfaction but also for the protection of the public. Therefore, proper food safety knowledge and practices are vital in preventing foodborne illnesses, ensuring compliance with regulations, and maintaining the general reputation of the restaurant industry. This study evaluates the food safety knowledge and practices of casual dining restaurants in the Villa de Arevalo District of Iloilo City, Philippines, using a descriptive-correlational approach. There were 150 participants who were selected using convenience sampling: managers, supervisors, and rank-and-file employees. The results show that overall, employees possessed expert level food safety knowledge, particularly older employees, those with more than seven years of experience, and supervisors. Overall, food safety practices were generally implemented well across all demographics. Critical weaknesses, however, were observed in the handling of raw and cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination, identification of allergens, and specific regulatory requirements that the food establishment must be aware of. Other weaknesses include improper chilling of perishable foods and cooking at unsafe temperatures, which are among the major contributors to foodborne pathogens. A positive correlation between food safety knowledge and practice implies that improvement in food safety education would lead to better practices. Consumer safety would be ensured, and the hospitality and tourism sector would continue to grow, only if its weaknesses are addressed.