The Association between Food Hygiene and the Escherichia Coli Contamination on School Snack at Elementary School in Cakung Subdistrict, East Jakarta

Background: Unsafe food hygiene poses threats for becoming disease transmission. The most common of foodborne pathogenic bacteria is Escherichia coli. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between food hygiene and the contamination of escherichia coli bacteria on school snack. Subejcts and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Cakung, East Jakarta from December 2016 to January 2017. A sample of 60 food handlers from a total of 147 foods handlers’ population was selected by cluster sampling. The dependent variable was E. coli bateria. The independent variables were proper hand washing, food serving aids, proper equipment washing, types of selling facilities, sanitation facilities, the placement of cooked food, and food preparation. The data were collected by laboratory test result and questionnaire. The data were analyzed by multiple logistic regressions. Results: As many as 45% of the positive snacks were contaminated with E. coli bacteria. E. coli bacterial contamination on food was related to the practice of using food serving aids (OR= 5.00; 95% CI= 1.19 to 20.92; p= 0.044), a place to store cooked food (OR= 6.11; 95% CI = 1.73 to 21.59; p = 0.007) and method of presentation (OR = 7.14; 95% CI = 1.43 to 35.57; p = 0.002). Conclusion: The incidence of Escherichia coli contamination on food is related to the practice of using food serving aids, the placement of cooked food and food serving. Keywords: Escherichia coli, school snack Corresponden: Hanifatun Nisa Ath Thoriqoh. Public Health Postgraduate Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia, Depok, West Java. Email: hanifatunnisa10@gmail.com. Mobile: 081808157745. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/the7thicph.02.13