Assessment of Food Safety in Hospital Kitchens in Tanta City Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

Background: Food borne infections in health care settings have been represented as an
important public health problem worldwide. They are a leading cause of morbidity and
mortality and economic losses in both developed and developing countries. Objective: To
assess food safety in hospital kitchens (university and other governmental hospital
kitchens) in Tanta city, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt. Methods: A cross sectional study
was conducted in 9 hospital kitchens (3 university kitchens and 6 governmental kitchens)
and all food handlers in these kitchens (175) were included in the study. Two tools were
modified by the researcher to collect the needed data. A Modified kitchen observational
checklist and Food handlers' observational checklist were used. Results: All university
kitchens had insufficient application of food safety measures in both morning and evening
shifts. Regarding governmental kitchens food safety requirements; 40% were insufficient
and 60% were somewhat sufficient in morning shift, but in the evening shift 60% of
kitchens were insufficient and 40% of them were somewhat sufficient. The majority of
both university and governmental food handlers had insufficient practice regarding
application of food safety measures (94.9% and 84.2%) respectively. Conclusion:
Insufficient conduction of food safety measures in university and governmental hospital
kitchens as well as insufficient application of food safety measures by food handlers were
encountered putting patients are at risk of getting food borne infections