Beliefs, Practices, and Knowledge of Household Food Handlers Regarding the Impact of Electricity Outages on Food Safety: Findings from a National Cross-Sectional Study in Lebanon.

Abstract

Food safety continues to be a global concern threatening human life, especially in low-income countries where frequent electricity outages pose higher risks to food safety, increasing the risks of foodborne illnesses due to temperature fluctuations. This study aimed to assess the consumer's knowledge of food safety, beliefs, and household practices during electricity cut-off. A cross-sectional study among consumers in Lebanon was conducted using an online survey (n = 571). Results revealed that food handlers in Lebanon had unsatisfactory food safety knowledge levels along with poor food safety beliefs and practices. The findings also showed that good knowledge scores were significantly associated with age, governorate, educational level, a self-reported food safety knowledge score, and the frequency of checking the temperature of fridges/freezers (p < 0.001). This study exposed inadequate food safety knowledge and deficient food safety-related beliefs and practices among participants in Lebanon, particularly during periods of electricity outages. These gaps highlight the need for educational interventions and structured efforts to enhance participants' understanding of safe food handling and storage practices under challenging conditions to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and improve the public health outcomes in Lebanon.