Assessment of the Elderly and Their Caregivers' Practices Regarding Food Safety in Assiut Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Food safety continues to be a concern of consumers and a focal point of the food industry and regulatory agencies. For over a century, developments in food production and new control philosophies have contributed to food safety systems in most developed countries to be efficient in the prevention of food borne diseases. The elderly are at particular risk of food borne illnesses because of their weaken immune systems, decrease in stomach acidity and intestinal peristalsis. The aim: to assess the practices of the elderly people and their caregivers about food safety. Setting: The present study was carried out at Assiut city (urban) and Assiut district (rural) in Assiut governorate. Design: descriptive cross sectional research design. The subjects were 10% of the total number of the elderly people from every area was selected randomly who aged 60 years and above and their caregivers involved in the study. The total number of the studied elderly was 720 (340 from urban and 380 from rural areas) and their caregivers (135 subjects). Results: nearly the total subject from the urban elderly (97.1%) and the majority of rural elderly (86.3%) did not know the temperature of the refrigerator, more than two fifths (44.7%) of the urban and more than one fifth (20.3%) of the rural elderly defrosting product in tape water. Conclusion: the elderly and their caregivers (urban and rural) were followed incorrect defrosting practices, incorrect hygiene of the kitchen counter, lack of knowledge regarding refrigeration temperature. Recommendations: the  information about food safety should be disseminated through mass media, television., newspapers and magazines at regular periods, establishment of an information center to help and guide the public especially mothers to maintain their practices regarding food safety.

Key words: food safety, defrosting , kitchen counter.