رسائل ماجيستير
English
2021
Adherence of food establishments in Muscat Governorate to food safety and COVID-19 precautionary measures and the influence of the pandemic on food safety measures
Mohammed Al-Khusaib, Sheikha Shinoon Mubarek Al-Siabiyah
كلية العلوم الزراعية والبحرية-جامعة السلطان قابوس · عمان
Although the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus through food and food packaging is very low, the number of COVID-19 positive cases has increased in food processing, manufacturing, and agriculture workplaces. This is possibly due to inadequate compliance with precautionary measures recommended by global authorities. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the adherence of food establishments in Muscat Governorate, Sultanate of Oman, to the recommended food safety precautionary measures, and to investigate the changes imposed by the pandemic.
Data were collected from October to December 2020 through face-to-face interviews with the person in charge (PIC) at each facility, as well as on-site observational inspections. The questionnaire was developed based on international COVID-19 guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It consisted of thirty closed-ended questions on a five-point Likert scale, divided into five main sections: establishment details, symptom monitoring, personal hygiene, surface cleaning and disinfection, and physical distancing.
The on-site inspections included activities related to symptom monitoring, personal hygiene, disinfection of food-contact surfaces, and physical distancing. A total of 25 first-class restaurants, 17 hotel catering services, and 45 food retailers participated in the study based on COVID-19 risk classification. These represented 37.7%, 34.7%, and 42.1% of the total number of food establishments in Muscat Governorate, respectively.
The study revealed a lack of adoption of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) among food retailers (0.0%), restaurants (0.0%), and hotel catering services (17.6%). A decline in the number of customers was observed, with the most significant decrease seen in hotel catering (59.6 ± 16.09), followed by restaurants (32.3 ± 37.41), and food retailers (29.0 ± 25.98). A deficiency in the availability of handwashing basins was noted among food retailers (46.7%) compared to restaurants (96.0%) and hotel catering services (88.2%). There was no significant change in the number of handwashing stations before and after the pandemic.
Additionally, there was a lack of cleaning and disinfecting practices for both food-contact surfaces (26.7% before and 31.1% after) and non-food-contact surfaces (31.1% before and 68.9% after) in food retail establishments. The results showed that 100% of hotel catering services, 96.0% of food retailers, and 76.0% of restaurants conducted health and symptom screening for staff and customers before entry. Fever, dry cough, and headache were the most recognized symptoms, while skin rash and conjunctivitis were the least known among facility PICs.
The use of hand sanitizers and face masks increased significantly among food retailers, restaurants, and hotel catering services during the pandemic period (p < 0.05). The most commonly implemented physical distancing measures were floor spacing markers or stickers (88.9% in retailers, 84.0% in restaurants, and 11.8% in hotel catering), and physical barriers between employees (68.9%, 40.0%, and 47.1%, respectively).
Overall, food establishments showed relatively high adherence to health monitoring, physical distancing, and face mask usage. However, food retailers demonstrated relatively low adherence to surface cleaning, disinfection, and hand hygiene practices. To improve adherence to recommended COVID-19 safety measures, it is essential to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and maintain accessible, fully equipped handwashing stations.