International Journal of

ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

EISSN: 2313-3724, Print ISSN: 2313-626X

Frequency: 12

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 Volume 13, Issue 2 (February 2026), Pages: 186-195

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 Original Research Paper

Evaluation of microbial contamination and food safety knowledge among institutional food handlers

 Author(s): 

Jo Neil T. Peria *

 Affiliation(s):

 College of Education, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija 3100, Philippines

 Full text

    Full Text - PDF

 * Corresponding Author. 

   Corresponding author's ORCID profile:  https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0536-4574

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.02.019

 Abstract

This study used a combined microbiological and behavioral approach to evaluate food safety in a higher education institution canteen in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Microbiological tests were conducted on food samples and contact surfaces to detect Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus following ISO standards. In addition, 65 food handlers completed a validated survey to assess their food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), as well as their awareness of foodborne pathogens. The results showed that microbial counts in all tested samples were within acceptable limits, although occasional detections indicated possible weaknesses in cold chain management and sanitation practices. Significant positive correlations were found between food safety KAP and pathogen awareness (r = 0.416–0.446, p < 0.001). Both KAP and pathogen awareness were significantly negatively associated with microbial presence (r = –0.246 to –0.342, p < 0.05). These findings indicate that higher levels of food safety knowledge and pathogen awareness are associated with lower microbial contamination. The study highlights the practical importance of combining microbiological monitoring with targeted training programs to strengthen institutional food safety systems and reduce contamination risks.

 © 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

Applied microbiology, Food safety, Pathogen awareness, Microbial contamination, Higher education canteens

 Article history

Received 21 September 2025, Received in revised form 6 February 2026, Accepted 17 February 2026

 Acknowledgment

No Acknowledgment. 

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations:

This study involved human participants and adhered to established ethical standards for research involving human subjects. Participation in the survey was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all respondents prior to data collection. Participants were informed of the purpose of the study, the confidentiality of their responses, and their right to withdraw at any time without penalty. No personally identifiable information was collected, and all data were treated with strict confidentiality and used solely for research purposes. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the appropriate institutional authority in accordance with ethical research guidelines. 

 Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

 Citation:

Peria JNT (2026). Evaluation of microbial contamination and food safety knowledge among institutional food handlers. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(2): 186-195

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 Figures

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 Tables

  Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5 Table 6 Table 7 Table 8 

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