Food Safety and Hygiene Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among the Wet Fish, Dried Fish, and Semi-fermented Fish Handlers in Bangladesh

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of wet fish handlers (WFHs), dried fish handlers (DFHs), and semi-fermented fish handlers (SFFHs) in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Participants were conveniently selected based on their active involvement in the handling, processing, or production of the respective fish commodities from wet markets, dried fish yards, and semi-fermented fish processing centers. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with a total of 390 (130 from each three groups handlers) respondents for various aspects of safety and hygiene issues. The results indicated that the correct response rates for food safety and hygiene knowledge were 68.2%, 64.9%, and 70.0% for WFHs, DFHs, and SFFHs, respectively. The highest positive responses were observed in knowledge categories of time, temperature, quality control, and cross-contamination, while the lowest positive responses were in the food-borne illness incidence category. The findings for attitudes showed a positive relation with a mean score of 36.42 ± 2.33, 38.92 ± 2.9, and 29.38 ± 2.38 for WFHs, DFHs and SFFHs, respectively. For practices, DFHs received the highest mean score (26.52 ± 1.72) followed by SFFHs (22.38 ± 1.95) and WFHs (19.87 ± 1.58). Significant positive correlations were found between the knowledge and attitudes of WFHs (rs = 0.258, P < 0.01), knowledge and practice of SFFHs (rs = 0.227, P < 0.01), and attitudes and practice of DFHs (rs = 0.202, P < 0.05). Overall, while the study reveals the good knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the respective product handlers, notable gaps remain. Targeted education and training programs are therefore essential to enhance their capacity, ensuring the production of safe and high-quality fishery products for both local and global markets.