Cognitive barriers to food safety: A cross-sectional assessment of knowledge and attitudes among meat handlers in Jammu & Kashmir

Introduction

Food safety remains a critical global health challenge, particularly in developing economies where informal markets dominate the meat supply chain. The hygienic status of meat is directly contingent upon the competency of the personnel handling it. Recent studies highlight that the "human factor"-specifically the knowledge and attitude of food handlers-is the first line of defense against foodborne outbreaks (Abdullahi et al., [1,2,3,4] . In the specific context of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), meat production is not only an economic activity but a cultural staple. However, the sector is characterized by traditional butchery practices that often evade rigorous sanitary oversight. While literature exists on the prevalence of pathogens in meat, there is a paucity of data regarding the cognitive landscape of the workforce-specifically, what they know and how they perceive risk. Misconceptions regarding microbial spoilage, carrier states, and crosscontamination can render even the best infrastructure useless. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a psychometric assessment of the Knowledge and Attitude (KA) domains of meat handlers in J&K, serving as a baseline for designing targeted educational interventions.

Materials and Methods

Study Design and Setting

This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 across five districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Kathua, and Samba. These districts represent diverse.

Sampling Strategy

A total of 200 meat handlers were selected using a convenient sampling method from registered and unregistered retail outlets. The distribution was: Jammu (n = 65), Udhampur (n = 40), Rajouri (n = 40), Kathua (n = 35), and Samba (n = 20).

Data Collection Tool

A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was developed based on Codex Alimentarius principles and previous validated studies (Paudel et al., 2013) [5] . The tool comprised three sections: 1. Sociodemographic Profile: Age, education, experience, and media exposure. 2. Knowledge Assessment: 15 dichotomous questions (True/False) testing technical understanding of spoilage, temperature control, and pathogen transmission.

Attitude

Assessment: 7 Likert-scale items (Agree/Disagree) measuring the value placed on hygiene protocols.

Statistical Analysis

Data were quantified and analyzed using SPSS. Pearson's Chi-square (χ²) test was employed to evaluate the statistical significance of differences in responses across districts and demographic groups, with a p-value of ≤0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results and Discussion

Sociodemographic Drivers of Competency

The workforce was predominantly male, with a maturity trend observed in the age distribution; the majority of respondents were aged 26-50 years. Educational attainment varied significantly across districts (χ² = 33.01, p = 0.001), with Udhampur and Rajouri showing higher literacy rates among butchers compared to Jammu. This is a crucial determinant, as formal education showed a positive correlation with the ability to understand complex food safety concepts. Interestingly, the "Source of Learning" (Table 1) indicated a heavy reliance on intergenerational knowledge transfer. Over 65% of butchers in Udhampur and 77.5% in Rajouri learned the trade from their fathers, compared to formal training. This "hereditary apprenticeship" model often perpetuates traditional, unscientific practices, shielding the workforce from modern food safety protocols.

Knowledge Assessment: The "Invisible" Risk Gap

The overall knowledge score was 62.6%, classified as "Fair." However, a granular analysis (Table 2) reveals a dangerous dichotomy. Handlers scored high on "visible" hygiene concepts-such as the need for chilling (87.5%) and handwashing (86.5%). Conversely, scores plummeted on "invisible" microbiological concepts. Only 12.5% understood that microbial contamination leads to serious illness, and only 16.0% recognized that a handler with diarrhea poses a severe risk. This suggests that while butchers understand preservation (to prevent economic loss from spoilage), they fundamentally lack understanding of pathogenesis (public health risk). The significant difference (p<0.05) across districts for questions on cross-contamination highlights regional disparities in awareness campaigns.

Attitude Profiling

Attitude scores averaged 59.21%, slightly lower than knowledge scores, indicating a resistance to behavioral change. While 84.5% agreed that equipment cleanliness is important, attitudes toward personal restrictions were dismissive. Nearly half (49.5%) of the respondents saw no issue with wearing jewelry (rings/watches) during slaughter, and 62.5% did not prioritize personal hygiene as a critical safety factor (Table 3). This reflects a "business-first" mindset where operational cleanliness (equipment) is valued over personal biosecurity.

Conclusion

The study identifies a specific "cognitive blindness" among meat handlers in J&K. While they possess functional knowledge of meat preservation, they lack critical awareness of microbial safety and personal hygiene risks.

The strong reliance on informal, hereditary learning paths perpetuates these gaps. Future certification programs must pivot from general "cleanliness" to specific microbiological education to effectively protect public health.

Disclaimer (Artificial Intelligence)

Author(s) hereby declare that no generative AI technologies such as Large Language Models in the manuscript.

Acknowledgement

The authors express gratitude to the Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, and the staff members of the Division of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology for their support and assistance.

Competing Interests

Authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

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