Asian Journal of Home Science

Neetu ¹, Kiran Bains ¹, Madhu ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, IN

Abstract

This study collected data on food workers' self-reported food safety practices and beliefs about factors that impacted their ability to prepare food safely. The workers (Manager, Head-cook, Assistantcook, Waiters, dishwashers, Sweepers and people on counter) of 12 sweet shops were interviewed regarding cleaning and hygiene practices followed by them. Only in one sweet shop, one food handler had received formal training in food hygiene. All the workers washed their hands prior to handling the materials. In 17 per cent of sweet shops, plain water was used, 67 per cent of shops used soap and water and 17 per cent used polythene or plastic bags as hand gloves. Plain water, soap or detergent was used by all the workers for washing the cooking and serving utensils. Almost all the shop keepers used a disinfectant for cleaning purposes. For washing the floors, plain water and mop was used in 50 per cent of shops, surf and wet cloth was used in 50 per cent shops. Floor was cleaned once in 67 per cent of shops while twice and thrice a day in 17 per cent and 17 per cent of shops, respectively. Fly trappers were used in 42 per cent of shops. Wiping cloths were reused next day in all the shops after washing with soap and water in 83 per cent of shops and 17 per cent of shops used detergent. For the floor, disinfectants were used by all the workers once in 2-3 days. 83 per cent shops had deep freezers and 17 per cent did not have. 67 per cent of workers had knowledge regarding the freezer temperature for storage of sweets. Results suggest that food safety programs need to address the full range of factors that impact food preparation behaviours.

Keywords

Food Safety,hygienic Practices, Cleaning, Sanitation, Public Health

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Aatma Singh ¹, Kiran Bains ¹, Harpreet Kaur ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), IN

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to study the relationship of food consumption frequency on eating behaviours (cognitive dietary restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating) among women. Food consumption frequency score and eating behaviours were determined among one hundred professional women engaged in teaching (30-59 years old) across five colleges of Jalandhar city of Punjab. The older age groups i.e. 40 to 49 and 50 to 59 years reported significantly (p≤0.05) high scores of disinhibition whereas, young age group (30-39 years) reported high scores for cognitive dietary restraint. Uncontrolled eating had a positive and significant (p≤0.05, 0.01) correlation with consumption frequency of traditional snacks, western snacks, egg, meat and fish and eating out among the 30-39 years age group. While in the subjects aged 40-49 years, uncontrolled eating was significantly correlated (p≤0.10, 0.05) with higher consumption frequency of snacks while emotional eating was significantly (p≤0.10, 0.05) correlated with the higher consumption frequency of snacks, egg, meat and fish as well as frequency of eating out. Cognitive restraint was significantly (p≤0.10) correlated with lesser consumption frequency of snacks. In 50-59 years group, higher consumption frequency of snacks was significantly (p≤0.10) correlated with uncontrolled eating and emotional eating while higher frequency of eating out was significantly (p≤0.05) related to emotional eating. The study concluded that eating behaviours majorly influenced the food choices of adult professional women thus, may predispose them to subsequent weight gain and development of obesity.

Keywords

Cognitive Dietary Restraint, Uncontrolled Eating, Emotional Eating, Food Consumption Frequency, Eating Out.

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