THE ROLE OF FOOD SAFETY CULTURE ON FOOD HANDLER’S RISK PERCEPTIONS

Food safety culture is a growing concept that focuses on the behavioural and organizational aspects influencing food safety performance. Although its role in improving food safety practices has been increasingly recognized, limited research has examined its influence on food handlers’ risk perception. This study aimed to: (1) determine the level of food safety culture across micro-, small-, and medium-sized foodservice operations and (2) evaluate the influence of food safety culture on food handlers’ risk perceptions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 food handlers in the Klang Valley using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, mean comparison, and multiple regression. Findings indicated that the level of food safety culture did not significantly differ across enterprise sizes (p>0.05), with customer perception rated highest and work pressure rated lowest. Multiple regression analysis revealed that personalization factors (β=0.38; p=0.001), organizational factors (β=0.20; p=0.044), and surrounding support (β=-0.255; p=0.007) significantly influenced food handlers’ risk perception. These results highlight the importance of fostering a positive food safety culture to strengthen risk awareness among food handlers and reduce the likelihood of unsafe food handling practices.