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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. .