Abstract
This study investigated food safety practices at registered Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs) to determine the relationship between understanding, knowledge, and behaviours of food handlers regarding cross-contamination. Conducted at 61 ECDs in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, it involved 120 food handlers selected through convenience sampling. Data was collected using the WHO’s 5 Keys to Safer Foods self-administered questionnaire. The study revealed that while food handlers in pre-schools showed positive attitudes towards hygiene, significant gaps existed in their knowledge and behaviour. For instance, 69.2% knew a cutting board was safe for raw and cooked foods if clean (P = .003), and only 55% used separate utensils consistently (P < .001). Significant correlations (P = .017) were found between awareness of wiping cloth contamination and the notion that foods should be discarded once they have passed their expiration date, as well as between cleaning surfaces and equipment before using them again for different foods (P = .007). The results highlight the need for tailored food safety interventions for food handlers and indicate the need for environmental health practitioners to conduct such training, focussing on microorganisms, temperature control of foods, and cross-contamination, to improve the safety of food at ECD centres.