Assessing the Influence of Food Culture and Food Safety Knowledge of Consumers in the Ho Municipality of Volta Region, Ghana

This study examines how consumers are influenced by food culture and their understanding of food safety. A quantitative research approach was employed using 384 systematically sampled respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire focused on different facets of food culture and food safety knowledge was used to gather data. According to the results, the overall mean score for the influence of food culture on consumer safety is 2.96. This indicates that food culture has a neutral or slightly below-average effect on consumer food safety. Consumers' awareness of kitchen hygiene is notably high, with an overall at 86.65%, while their knowledge of personal hygiene about food safety is very high, with an overall 89.89%. This indicates that a greater percentage of the respondents have adequate food safety knowledge. The study's findings highlight the crucial role that food culture and safety knowledge play in consumer behaviour, and point to areas for improvement in public health education to improve food safety practices.