COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FOOD SAFETY KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF ACADEMIC AND NON ACADEMIC STAFF IN FUNAAB.

The study assessed the differences in food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) between academic and non-academic staff at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State. The aim was to evaluate and compare levels of food safety knowledge, examine attitudes and behavioural practices, and identify key factors influencing safe food handling across both staff categories. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, using a structured questionnaire. A total of 250 valid responses were retrieved through stratified random sampling, ensuring fair representation of both groups. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The majority of respondents were female (67.6%) and within the 26 — 45 age group. Educational attainment varied, with non-academic staff predominantly holding only primary education (61.2%). Overall food safety knowledge was moderate (Average mean = 0.31), with academic staff demonstrating significantly higher understanding, particularly in areas such as hand hygiene, contamination prevention, and food storage. Attitudinal scores reflected moderate concern about food safety (Average mean = 1.09), with academic staff showing more positive attitudes than their non-academic counterparts. Practice scores (Average mean = 1.77) revealed moderate adherence to food safety measures across both groups, though academic staff were more consistent in practices like checking expiration dates and using separate utensils. Unsafe behaviours, such as improper thawing and reheating, were more common among non-academic staff. Hypothesis testing confirmed a statistically significant difference between academic and non-academic staff in food safety knowledge (t = 27.250, p < .001), attitudes (t = 14.368, p < .001), and experience with foodborne illness (t = -32.228, p < .001). The study concluded that while both groups demonstrated awareness, academic staff exhibited stronger food safety practices and understanding. These findings emphasize the importance of tailored food safety interventions particularly for non-academic personnel through targeted training, workplace campaigns, and structured educational programs to promote safer food handling within institutional settings.