Foodborne diseases are a worldwide public health problem frequently associated with failures during food handling. Knowledge of the socioeconomic and professional profile of food handlers and their knowledge about the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are required in order to plan public policies and training programs aimed at food safety and quality. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic and professional profile of food handlers and the impact of giving a training course on Good Manufacturing Practices in the city of Araraquara, São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 192 food handlers answered the following two questionnaires: the first to assess their level of knowledge on GMP, which was applied before (initial evaluation) and after (final evaluation) the training course, and the second to assess the food handlers' socioeconomic and professional profiles. The results showed that the training course had a positive impact on the food handlers' level of knowledge, since all topics on GMP showed a higher percentage of correct answers in the final evaluation than in the initial evaluation. These data indicate the need for continuous training courses to improve the qualification of food handlers, and hence of the food quality and food safety for consumers.
Good Manufacturing Practices; Food handlers; Training course; Socioeconomic and professional profiles
