Hygiene and food safety habits among Slovenian mountaineers

Slabe, Damjan (author), Dolenc, Eva (author), Jevšnik Podlesnik, Mojca (author)

The study provides a deeper insight into Slovenian mountaineers’ and excursionists’ habits regarding food safety knowledge, food handling practices, and hygiene on expeditions. The objective of the study is to identify gaps in food safety knowledge and food handling practice at home and during mountaineers’ activities. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire (n = 330) and eight semi-structured interviews. The research participants take most of their food with them when they set off, mountaineers more often than excursionists (p < 0.05, p = 0,000). Few interviewees indicated that it is important to them that food is safe while consuming it. Almost 90% of mountaineers and excursionists believe they can identify food safety by smell and taste. Significantly more mountaineers prioritise food enjoyment over hygiene compared to excursionists (p < 0.05, p = 0.001). Mountaineers also feel that they are more resistant to foodborne diseases and are much less concerned about foodborne disease than excursionists (p < 0.05, p = 0.011). The respondents highlighted the need for the Alpine Association of Slovenia to organise food safety education for its members. The greatest emphasis has to be put on food safety education material that has to be put in general training programme for mountaineers. Informing mountaineers and excursionists about food safety requirements needs to be improved with target strategy.

• Language: English
• Keywords: food safety, hygiene, mountaineers, excursionist
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 14.09.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, iss. 9, art. 1856
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-140858
• UDC: 614.31:613
• ISSN on article: 2227-9717
• DOI: 10.3390/pr10091856
• COBISS.SI-ID: 122126851
• Publication date in RUL: 20.09.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Processes
• Shortened title: Processes
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2227-9717
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523353113

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.
• Licensing start date: 14.09.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Undetermined
• Keywords: varnost hrane, higiena, planinci, izletnik

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P3-0388
• Name: Mehanizmi varovanja zdravja