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Nudge tools: Are they effective to improve hygiene behavior of food handlers?

Mojca JEVŠNIK

Foodborne diseases represent an important public health challenge. Improper food handling can cause food contamination at any stage of the food supply chain. Food safety knowledge and training alone cannot be effective enough to change food handler’s hygiene behavior in practice. Employees’ behavior is significantly influenced by various factors at both individual (knowledge, practice, motivation) and organizational levels (food safety culture). If the factors are positively oriented and under control, food handlers have a better attitude and awareness of the importance to ensure food safety by observing all hygiene requirements. Companies that deal with people as a risk factor use nudge tools which can, through their different approaches, significantly influence behavioral changes. Nudge tools that change people's behavior in a predictable way, can be used to improve hygiene behavior also in food establishments. In the studies so far, the most commonly used nudge tools are priming (for example, signs, words, smell) and affect (for example, disgust). Nudging may represent an important tool for improving hygiene behavior among food handlers. Food handlers are one of important risk factors, however, they are too often given insufficient attention.