ASSESSMENT OF ATTITUDE TOWARD FOOD HYGIENE AMONG FOOD HANDLERS IN BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTHWEST ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the attitude toward food hygiene among food handlers in boarding secondary schools in North West Zone,
Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, the descriptive survey research design was used and the target population for this study was
1112 and also, the sample size was 470 which were drawn from four states in the North West Zone of Nigeria. The participants
were selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. A close-ended structured questionnaire based on the modified four (4)
point Likert scale was used to obtain responses from the respondents. A pilot study was carried out to test the reliability of the
instrument and a statistical analysis of Cronbach’s Alpha correlation coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. The 470 copies of the
questionnaire were distributed to the respondents and retrieved. Descriptive statistics of means and standard deviations was
used to answer the research question. The formulated hypothesis was tested at a 0.05 level of significance using inferential
statistics of a one-sample t-test. The results revealed that attitude toward food hygiene among food handlers in boarding
secondary schools in Northwest Zone, Nigeria was significant (p= 0.000 < 0.05). It was concluded that the food handlers in
the boarding secondary schools in North West zone, Nigeria have a positive attitude towards food hygiene. The study
recommended that the school management in boarding secondary schools in the Northwest Zone of Nigeria should implement
incentive programs that recognize and reward exemplary food safety practices, fostering a culture of high hygiene standards
and motivating food handlers to consistently prioritize food safety, thereby reinforcing positive attitudes and ensuring a safe
and hygienic food environment.