Assessment of food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) among the university students: A cross sectional study at Bangladesh Agricultural University

Abstract

This comprehensive research study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural University, to assess food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among the students. About 217 randomly selected students participated in this study from July 16 to August 30, 2023. Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire and then analyzed to calculate the overall KAP scores and explore their connection with socio-demographic factors. The study found that many participants had limited knowledge about food safety. Roughly 42 % of them answered less than 60 % of the questions about food safety correctly. Notably, 30 % of the students demonstrated good food safety practices, 42.8 % exhibited moderate practices, and 27.2 % had poor practices. Additionally, most participants expressed positive attitudes toward food safety, with 47.5 % holding a favorable view. It was found that gender and the year of education significantly influenced food safety practices, while the year of study and food safety training impacted both knowledge and practices. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing food safety education and awareness among university students. This is particularly important, as these students are future professionals who will play critical roles in various sectors, contributing to improved public health outcomes.