Knowledge of the paramedical staff toward food additives at Baghdad city
Abstract
Background: Food additives (FA) are substances added to food for multiple determinations during different stages of its preparation. They are not ingested as food. They may or may not have nutritional value, but they are used to preserve the flavor, smell, structure, appearance and other properties of food. Objective: To determine knowledge of paramedical staff toward food additives. To define the association of different demographic variables of paramedical staff with their knowledge. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 Government institutions, in Baghdad city, for the period 16th November-2022 ending in 2nd March-2023. Inclusion Criteria Health workers specialized in the food authorities in government institutions were selected non-randomly in Baghdad city. Exclusion Criteria Medical staff and another staff which non- specialized in the food authorities in government institutions. Sampling Technique of the Study; the total number of government institutions was 5, that contains units specialized in the food authorities. Results: A sample of 127 health workers of age mean ±SD (40 ± 11 years), 52 male the remaining were female; the majority of staff 55.1% had Bachler degree. The years of service of the participant ranged from less than ten to 30-39 years with a mean ±SD (14 ± 11 years). Overall score for knowledge was acceptable 94 (74.0%). Information source about food additives the highest percentages reported was from internet 72.4% In addition, others were obtained information from different sources. There is a significant difference in statistical analysis at P<0.05 among knowledge score and years of services, the study observation that most health workers had a good knowledge in less than ten years and ten to ninety years were accounted 19 (63.3%), 7 (23.3%) respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed that paramedical staff in Baghdad city had Acceptable score knowledge with regard to food additives. The study demonstration a highly significant relationship between health worker’s knowledge with years of services.
