IMPACTO DE TREINAMENTO ON-LINE NOS CONHECIMENTOS E ATITUDES PRÁTICAS DE HIGIENE DE MANIPULADORES DE ALIMENTOS

Abstract

Food and beverages can be vehicles for disease transmission when contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Food service handlers must be made aware of hygiene and safety measures to avoid food contamination and possible outbreaks of DTAs. The training programs in hygiene and food safety are used as a strategy to make workers aware of Good Handling Practices, guaranteeing the hygienic-sanitary quality of the food. The use of distance courses through digital platforms has been presented as an efficient method to bring knowledge and change practical attitudes related to food safety and hygiene for professionals in the food sector. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of qualification in food hygiene and safety using digital platforms. For this, a questionnaire was applied before and after training carried out online and asynchronously through the Google Classroom® platform. In general, the target audience had an average of 86% ± 14% of knowledge and practices and an average of 98% ± 5% was acquired after the course. The research revealed that offering the course on a digital platform was effective in significantly improving pre-preparation/preparation knowledge, such as thawing and refreezing, contaminated food and vegetable hygiene. It revealed that the participants already had satisfactory knowledge related to the hygiene and health habits of the handlers, such as hand hygiene, handler health, use of adornments and for this reason, the training only reinforced learning. As for the self-reported practices, the survey revealed that offering the course on a digital platform was effective in significantly improving pre-preparation/preparation practices, such as thawing and refreezing, use of contaminated food, vegetable hygiene, cross-contamination and use of adornments. It revealed that the participants already had satisfactory habits related to the practices of receiving goods, hygiene and health habits of handlers, such as hand hygiene, handler health. Therefore, the use of a digital platform to offer qualification in food hygiene and safety proved to be efficient for the application of storage contents, cross-contamination, hand hygiene, handler health and handler hygiene.