Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours on Food Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study

Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours on Food Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours on Food Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study Merve Varol, Esma Aksoy Kendilci This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess pregnant women’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding food safety. It included 216 pregnant women (mean age: 28.5 years) who participated voluntarily. When consuming raw milk, 66.7% boiled it, typically for 10–15 minutes (40.8%). Common thawing methods were the kitchen counter (39.5%) and the refrigerator (33.0%). A total of 84.6% knew that refreezing thawed food is unsafe. Higher education was significantly associated with safer behaviours, such as using paper towels, refrigerating food within 2 hours, and checking expiry dates (p = 0.001; p = 0.001; p = 0.002). The mean attitude score was 50.36 ± 4.63, and 91.2% showed a positive attitude. A weak but significant negative correlation was found between age and attitude scores (r = -0.139, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that educational status significantly predicted food safety attitudes, while age did not. In general, food safety practices appeared appropriate, though some risky behaviours persisted due to knowledge gaps. Previous studies have emphasised the importance of food safety awareness among pregnant women while also identifying regional disparities. These findings highlight the potential value of culturally and contextually adapted educational programmes. Addressing basic knowledge deficiencies through targeted training may help improve food safety behaviours. Pregnancy Food safety Hygiene Attitude Behaviour 1. INTRODUCTION The nutritional habits of pregnant women are significantly correlated with foetal growth and development. Not only adequate and balanced nutrition, but also attention to the safety of the food consumed by individuals, play an important role. When people have adequate knowledge about food safety, this can prevent foodborne infections to a significant extent. Providing food safety information is the first and fundamental step in achieving food safety. Knowledge not only enhances the quality of food safety practices but also has an impact on food safety attitudes and practices ( 1 ). Therefore, food safety involves a large chain that extends from the agricultural field to the table. Threats that may be posed in any of these chain links, from the production of food to its consumption, may harm human health by disrupting food safety. Foodborne diseases may exacerbate the danger due to changes in the immune system during pregnancy ( 2 ). Therefore, it is important to be highly aware of food safety during pregnancy. Studies in various countries have shown that pregnant women generally have moderate to good knowledge and awareness of food safety, but significant gaps remain in specific areas such as cross-contamination, temperature control, and proper food processing at home ( 3 – 6 ). Overall, improving food safety education for pregnant women holds great importance for mitigating the risk of foodborne illness for both mothers and their infants ( 4 , 7 ). Pregnant women often exhibit limited knowledge about food safety, particularly foodborne illnesses and safe food processing practices. A study indicated a mean knowledge score of only 46.6% among participants ( 8 ). In another study, it was found that knowledge about food preservatives was remarkably poor, with a mean score of 10.21 out of 17 ( 9 ). Despite knowledge gaps, many pregnant women hold positive attitudes towards food safety. Almanasrah et al., (2022) reported that 64.9% were informed about food safety during their pregnancies, indicating a willingness to learn ( 8 ). Jevšnik et al., (2021) also showed that pregnant women have better food safety practices compared to postpartum mothers, suggesting a proactive approach during pregnancy ( 3 ). Behavioural practices significantly vary; many women are not aware of specific risks, such as cross-contamination and temperature control, during safe food processing ( 3 , 8 ). It has been reported that socio-economic factors affect knowledge and practices related to food safety and educational interventions are vital ( 10 ). The messages planned for food safety education programmes to be delivered to consumers of all age groups should be long-lasting; training should be periodically repeated to allow the learned information to turn into attitudes and behaviours; and procedures and processes should be regularly checked ( 11 ). While studies have highlighted an overall positive attitude towards food safety among pregnant women, persistent gaps in knowledge and specific practices emphasise the need for targeted educational programmes to increase food safety awareness and behaviours. Therefore, this study was designed and conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of pregnant women towards food safety. Based on this purpose, the questions identified and sought to be answered within the scope of the study are as follows; What is the status of knowledge pregnant women have about food safety? What attitudes and behaviours do pregnant women exhibit towards food safety? Do they know the foods they should especially avoid during their pregnancies? Do they pay attention to the points to be considered when buying, cooking, and preserving food during pregnancy? Is there any correlation between socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women, such as educational status, place of residence, income, profession, etc., and their knowledge status, attitudes, and behaviours concerning food safety? Do pregnant women know the bacteria that cause food poisoning and affect the foetus? To whom do pregnant women follow the most advice on food safety? 2. MATERIALS and METHODS Research design, protocol approvals and subject characteristics This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The population consisted of 554 pregnant women who lived in rural areas and registered at the Central Public Health Centre during the period when the study was planned (January-December 2023). The sample size was 215 pregnant women, according to the reference study ( 12 ), with a confidence interval of 95%. The inclusion criteria were determined as follows; being enrolled in the family health centres affiliated with the Public Health Centre, being pregnant women, and being voluntary to participate in the study; whereas, communication problems were the exclusion criteria. Initially, 216 pregnant women, aged 19–65 years, participated in the study. All participants were informed about the study at the beginning and volunteers were included in the study. The data collection technique was a questionnaire about demographic characteristics and food safety related to knowledge, attitudes, and practice. First, the researcher conducted a pilot study with 10 pregnant women and revised the questions that were not fully comprehended. The researchers then handed out the questionnaires to the participants. It took approximately 20 minutes for them to complete the questionnaires. Each participant signed a consent form indicating that they agreed to participate voluntarily, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association), and then completed the questionnaires. Data Collection Tools A questionnaire prepared by the researcher was used to collect the data. The revised questionnaire was divided into four sections: A demographic section (10 items/questions) Pregnancy and health-related questions (4 items/questions) Food safety knowledge (20 items/questions) Food safety practices (11 questions) Food safety attitude (18 items/questions) The first part of the general questionnaire included 10 questions about demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational status, and marital status and four questions about pregnancy and health. The second part of the questionnaire included a 20-question section ( 3 ), which was created by utilising the literature to assess the knowledge of food safety during pregnancy, and the basic level of food safety knowledge of pregnant women was assessed. On the other hand, the third part included questions on behavioural practices towards food safety and the food safety attitude scale. A behavioural practices questionnaire consisting of 11 questions was used to determine behaviours related to food safety based on the literature ( 13 , 14 ). Food safety attitude scale: it was developed by Memiş in 2009. This 3-point Likert-type scale consists of 18 items and its variance rate was determined as 42%. The alpha value was 0.85. Accordingly, considering the lowest and highest possible total attitude scores, 27 points and below were considered as negative attitudes, 28–44 points were partially positive attitudes, and 45 points and above were positive attitudes. Following the same approach, 14 points and below were grouped as negative attitude, 15–22 points as partially positive attitude, and 23 and above as positive attitude for the subscales of the scale ( 14 ). In this study, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the food safety attitude scale was found to be 0.86, indicating high reliability. Statistical Analysis The data of the study were transferred to the computer environment and edited with Microsoft Excel software and then analysed with SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 29.0 software. Before starting the analysis, whether or not the numerical data were normally distributed was examined with Skewness and Kurtosis tests ( 15 ), Histogram and Q-Q Plot graphs. As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the data did not meet the assumption of normal distribution. Categorical data were shown with frequency and percentage values, while numerical data were shown with mean, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum values. During data analysis, data were analysed with Mann Whitney U Test for two independent group comparisons and Kruskal-Wallis H test in case of more than two groups. The correlation between two categorical variables was analysed with the Chi-Square test. Fisher’s Exact value was taken when observation values were below 5. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between variables with a normal (parametric) distribution. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the variables that predict Food Safety Attitude Scale scores. The food safety attitude score was the dependent variable, and age and educational status were included as independent variables. The model was constructed using the Enter method. Model adequacy was tested with the F-test, and the significance of the predictors was assessed through β (Beta) coefficients and p-values. Statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05 for all tests. Ethical Considerations For the ethical eligibility of the study, ethics committee approval was obtained from the Ethical Principles and Ethics Committee of the ...................... University (2024/02–15 and E.5205), and institutional permission was obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health under …………. Governorship (E-39320161-602.01.0.-234398851). Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and all participants were informed about the aim, process, and confidentiality of the study before providing written consent. The researcher collected the data from volunteer subjects through face-to-face interview technique. Limitations and Strengths As a cross-sectional study, causal relationships cannot be established, and the findings reflect only a specific point in time. The fact that the sample was drawn from a single province limits the generalisability of the findings to regions with different geographical and cultural characteristics. The use of self-reported questionnaires may have introduced recall bias and social desirability bias. Although educational status was a significant predictor, the low R² suggests limited explanatory power of the model. This suggests that additional, unmeasured factors may influence food safety attitudes among pregnant women. The strengths of this study may include the following: This study is among the few in Türkiye to quantitatively assess pregnant women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding food safety. The use of validated tools, such as the food safety attitude scale, allowed for systematic and comparable measurements. The sample of the study was determined based on statistical criteria and relevant literature, considering a 95% confidence interval. In addition to descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis was conducted to support the interpretation of key relationships. Therefore, the findings may serve as a preliminary assessment to inform future public health initiatives and educational interventions on food safety. Nonetheless, these strengths should be interpreted in light of the study’s scope and design limitations. 3. FINDINGS Table 1 presents socio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women. The mean age of the participants was 28.56 ± 4.64 years, and the rate of the participants held a bachelor's degree or above was the highest (39.3%). The majority of the participants (97.2%) lived in the city centre, and 86.1% had nuclear families. According to residential characteristics, 79.6% resided in an apartment and 82.8% had a separate kitchen in their homes. 58.9% of the women were housewives. The mean pregnancy period was 21.68 ± 4.73 weeks, the mean gravidity was 1.79 ± 0.98, and the mean number of living children was 1.61 ± 0.86. Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women (n = 216) n (%) Educational Status Primary School and below 52 (24.1) High School 79 (36.6) Bachelor’s degree or above 85 (39.3) Place of Residence City centre 3210 (97.2) District centre 4 1.9 Village/Town 2 0.9 Family Type Nuclear Family 186 86.1 Extended Family 30 13.9 Nature of Your Residence Apartment 172 79.6 Qualified detached house 44 20.4 Location of the Kitchen A separate kitchen in the house 178 82.8 Open kitchen in the living room 37 17.2 Profession Housewife 126 58.8 Civil servant 35 16.4 Self-employed/ Worker 53 24.8 Age (years) ( \(\:\stackrel{-}{\varvec{x}}\) ± SD) (Lower-Upper Value) 28.56 ± 4.64 (18–41) Age at Marriage ( \(\:\stackrel{-}{\varvec{x}}\) ± SD) (Lower-Upper Value) 23.84 ± 3.56 (16–33) Gestational Week ( \(\:\stackrel{-}{\varvec{x}}\) ± SD) (Lower-Upper Value) 21.60 ± 6.73 (2–38) Number of Pregnancy ( \(\:\stackrel{-}{\varvec{x}}\) ± SD) (Lower-Upper Value) 1.79 ± 0.98 ( 1 – 6 ) Number of Living Children ( \(\:\stackrel{-}{\varvec{x}}\) ± SD) (Lower-Upper Value) 1.61 ± 0.86 ( 1 – 5 ) Table 2 presents the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions that assessed their knowledge about food safety. The participants were informed about food safety during pregnancy mostly by physicians (74.9%). This was followed by dietitians (24.1%), media (20.4%), family elders (17.6%), and midwives (13.0%). The participants suggested that risky foods (meat, cheese, etc.) should be purchased at the end of grocery shopping (62.5%). The rate of those who stated that hands should be washed properly before preparing food was quite high (85.2%), and 98.6% thought that it was important to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. When consuming raw milk, 66.7% of the participants appeared to usually boil it for 10–15 minutes (40.8%). The most preferred places for buying safe milk were raw milk purchased directly from the farm (86.7%), while avoiding mouldy cheeses (39.4%) and paying attention to pasteurised products (35.2%) stood out in cheese consumption during pregnancy. On the other hand, the rate of those who reported that milk and dairy products were the most perishable foods at room temperature was 97.2%. Table 2 Distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions that assessed their knowledge about food safety (n = 216) n (%) Who informed you about food safety during pregnancy? * Physicians 161 (75.9) Dietitians 52 (24.1) Media (TV, radio, magazines, etc.) 47 (20.4) Family elders 38 (17.6) Midwives 28 (13.0) Retailers’ recommendations when shopping 3 (1.4) When should we buy risky foods (meat, cheese, etc.) when shopping for groceries? At the beginning of shopping 81 (37.5) At the end of shopping 135 (62.5) How do we wash our hands correctly and effectively before we start preparing food? Water and soap 28 (13.0) Water only 4 (1.9) Water, soap and scrubbing between the fingers and around the wrists 184 (85.1) Is it important to wash fruit and vegetables before eating them? Yes 213 (98.6) No 2 (0.9) I do not know 1 (0.5) Do you buy raw milk? Yes 144 (66.7) No 72 (33.3) How many minutes do you boil your raw milk at home? (minutes) 5–10 31 (21.8) 10–15 58 (40.8) 15 and above 53 (37.3) Where is the best place to buy safe milk? Sterilised and/or pasteurised boxed milk in shops 19 (13.3) Raw milk from the farm, i.e., directly from the producer 124 (86.7) What are the points you pay attention to when consuming cheese during pregnancy? * I avoid mouldy cheeses. 85 (39.4) I make sure that cheeses are produced from pasteurised milk. 76 (35.2) I do not buy cheeses sold open. 56 (25.9) I consume village cheese. 70 (32.4) I do not consume cheese produced from raw milk. 7 (3.2) Other (not consuming cheese) 2 (0.9) Which of these foods spoils most quickly at room temperature? Milk and dairy products 210 (97.2) Fruits and vegetables 4 (1.9) Cereals 2 (0.9) * Multiple responses were given. Table 3 presents the distribution of the responses of pregnant women to some questions about thawing frozen foods and some potentially risky foods. The most preferred methods for thawing frozen foods were thawing on the kitchen counter/room temperature (39.5%) and thawing in the refrigerator (33.0%). The rate of respondents who indicated that it is not safe to refreeze thawed foods was quite high (84.6%). The rate of those who believed that raw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (98.1%), pastries that contained raw eggs (90.7%), undercooked eggs (88.4%), cheeses produced from raw milk (96.3%), cold sandwiches (98.6%), rare-medium cooked meats (95.4%), and raw sprouts (89.4%) were unsafe to consume during pregnancy for food safety was quite high. Table 3 Distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about thawing frozen foods and some potentially risky foods (n = 216) n (%) What is the best way to thaw frozen food? On the kitchen counter, at room temperature 85 (39.5) In the microwave 17 (7.9) In the refrigerator 71 (33.0) In hot water 38 (17.7) Instant heat treatment 4 (1.9) Is it safe to refreeze thawed meat? 181 (84.6) 8 (3.7) 25 (11.7) Is the following safe to eat during pregnancy? Raw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (e.g., raw meatballs, sushi, etc.) 4 (1.9) 212 (98.1) Pastries that contain raw eggs (e.g., homemade mayonnaise, mosaic cake, cookies, and wet cake) 20 (9.3) 196 (90.7) Undercooked eggs (soft-boiled, easy, apricot-like eggs) 25 (11.6) 191 (88.4) Raw milk (unpasteurised) 5 (2.3) 211 (97.7) Cheese produced from raw milk 8 (3.7) 208 (96.3) Cold sandwiches (containing ham, salami, smoked meat, smoked fish, smoked turkey) 3 (1.4) 213 (98.6) Rare-medium cooked meats 10 (4.6) 206 (95.4) Alfalfa or other raw sprouts 23 (10.6) 193 (89.4) According to Table 4 the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about food safety. 46.3% of the participants believed that herbal supplements (ginger, chamomile, mulberry leaves) might be beneficial before taking medication during pregnancy. Ginger (60.5%) and chamomile (28.7%) were the most preferred herbal supplements. While 54.9% of the participants reported negative opinions about the consumption of seafood for omega-3 fatty acids, 83.2% of them reported that mussels were particularly harmful. 25.5% of the participants indicated that they had previously suffered from food poisoning. Their levels of awareness about microorganisms were quite low, and it was observed that they lacked knowledge about Salmonella (84.9%), Listeria (96.6%), Toxoplasma gondii (96.1%) , and Brucella (54.8%) . Moreover, the majority of the participants (92.6%) thought that consumption of packaged food during pregnancy was harmful. The majority of the participants (96.7%) believed that food additives were harmful during pregnancy. Table 4 Distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about food safety (n = 216) n (%) Is it better to benefit from herbal supplements (ginger, chamomile, mulberry leaf) rather than medication during pregnancy? Yes 100 (46.3) No 78 (36.1) I don’t know 38 (17.6) Which of the herbal teas are safe during pregnancy? * Chamomile 48 (28.7) Senna 2 (1.2) Mulberry leaf 16 (9.6) Ginger 101 (60.5) Can we easily consume all seafood during pregnancy to intake omega-3 fatty acids? Yes 50 (23.3) No 118 (54.9) I don’t know 47 (21.8) Which of the seafoods is harmful to consume during pregnancy? Mussel 173 (83.2) Other 35 (16.8) Have you suffered from food poisoning before? Yes 54 (25.5) No 158 (74.5) Have you ever heard that these microorganisms are harmful to human health? Salmonella Yes 31 (15.1) No 174 (84.9) Listeria Yes 7 (3.4) No 198 (96.6) Toxoplasma gondii Yes 8 (3.9) No 198 (96.1) Brucella Yes 95 (45.2) No 115 (54.8) Do you believe that the consumption of packaged food during pregnancy is harmful? Yes 199 (92.6) No 16 (7.4) Do you believe that food additives are harmful during pregnancy? Yes 208 (96.7) No 7 (3.3) * Multiple responses were given. Table 5 presents the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to behavioural practices related to food safety according to their educational status. A significant correlation was found between the responses to the statement “I use paper towels or tissues to dry my hands” and educational status (p < 0.001). 55.8% of those who held a bachelor's degree or below and 86.9% of those who held a bachelor's degree or above responded “always/quite often.” The difference in educational status between individuals holding a bachelor's degree or above and those with lower educational status was significant. A significant difference was also found in the statement “I touch raw animal products” according to educational status (p = 0.005). 72.5% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or below and 42.9% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or above, responded always/quite often. Educational status had a significant correlation with the statement, “I put raw or cooked foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours”, (p = 0.001). While this rate was 69.2% in the group that held a bachelor's degree or below, it was 86.9% in the group that held a bachelor's degree or above. Educational status had a significant correlation with in the statement, “I check the expiry dates on the packages before consuming foods”, with educational status (p = 0.002). 53.8% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or below and 69.9% of the group that held a bachelor’s degree or above, responded always/quite often. Table 5 Distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to behavioural practices related to food safety according to their educational status (n = 216) Behaviours Educational Status Always/Quite Often Frequently Rarely/ Never n % n % n % \(\:{\varvec{\chi\:}}^{2}\) p 1. I wash my hands before meals. Primary School and below 50 96.2 2 3.8 0 0.0 1.482 0.477 High School 78 98.7 1 1.3 0 0.0 Bachelor’s degree or above 83 98.8 1 1.2 0 0.0 2. I use paper towels or tissues to dry my hands. Primary School and below 29 a 55.8 6 a 11.5 17 a 32.7 21.842 < 0.001 High School 54 a 68.4 3 a 3.8 22 a 27.8 Bachelor’s degree or above 73 b 86.9 6 a 7.1 5 b 6.0 3. I touch raw animal products. Primary School and below 37 a 72.5 5 a 9.8 9 a 17.6 15.089 0.005 High School 42 b 54.5 18 a 23.4 17 a 22.1 Bachelor’s degree or above 36 b 42.9 15 a 17.9 33 b 39.3 4. I wash my hands before touching ready-to-eat food Primary School and below 51 98.1 1 1.9 0 0.0 1.317 0.518 High School 75 94.9 4 5.1 0 0.0 Bachelor’s degree or above 82 97.6 2 2.4 0 0.0 5. I wash my hands after touching raw food. Primary School and below 50 96.2 1 1.9 1 1.9 2.089 0.719 High School 75 94.9 2 2.5 2 2.5 Bachelor’s degree or above 82 97.6 2 2.4 0 0.0 6. I take care to keep raw food and ready-to-eat food separately in the fridge. Primary School and below 48 92.3 2 3.8 2 3.8 3.721 0.445 High School 74 93.7 4 5.1 1 1.3 Bachelor’s degree or above 81 96.4 3 3.6 0 0.0 7. I put raw or cooked foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours. Primary School and below 36 a 69.2 13 a 25.0 3 a 5.8 21.192 < 0.001 High School 47 a 59.5 31 b 39.2 1 a 1.3 Bachelor’s degree or above 73 b 86.9 11 a 13.1 0 a 0.0 8. I check the expiry dates on the packages before consuming food. Primary School and below 28 a 53.8 11 a 21.2 13 a 25.0 16.518 0.002 High School 38 a 48.1 29 b 36.7 12 b 15.2 Bachelor’s degree or above 58 b 69.9 21 a.b 25.3 4 b 4.8 9. I check whether foods are edible or not by tasting them before eating them. Primary School and below 36 69.2 11 21.2 5 9.6 9.206 0.056 High School 38 48.1 32 40.5 9 11.4 Bachelor’s degree or above 56 66.7 19 22.6 9 10.7 10. I consume raw eggs and foods prepared from raw eggs (uncooked). Primary School and below 1 1.9 1 1.9 50 96.2 1.450 0.836 High School 4 5.1 1 1.3 74 93.7 Bachelor’s degree or above 2 2.4 1 1.2 81 96.4 11. I consume raw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (uncooked). Primary School and below 1 1.9 1 1.9 50 96.2 1.825 0.768 High School 3 3.8 0 0.0 76 96.2 Bachelor’s degree or above 2 2.4 1 1.2 81 96.4 χ² = Chi-Square Test. Fisher’s Exact value was used when the observation value was below 5. As shown in Table 6 the statistics of the pregnant women on the food safety attitude scale and its subscales. The mean and standard deviation value of the food safety attitude scale was 50.36 ± 4.63, and the lower and upper values were 29–54, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient is considered unreliable when it is between 0.00 < α < 0.40, low reliability when it is between 0.40 < α < 0.60, highly reliable when it is between 0.60 < α < 0.80, and highly reliable when it is between 0.80 < α < 1.00 (Tavakol & Dennick, 2011). When the table was analysed, it appeared that the food safety attitude scale and its subscales were highly reliable. Tabachnick and Fidell (2013) reported that data were normally distributed when skewness and kurtosis values ranged between − 1.5 and + 1.5. When we analysed the skewness and kurtosis values, it was observed that the food safety attitude scale and its subscales failed to meet the assumption of normal distribution. Table 6 Statistics of the responses of the pregnant women to the food safety attitude scale X̄ ± SD Lower-upper value CA (α) Skewness Kurtosis Caring about 26.21 ± 2.66 9–27 0.929 -5.347 31.109 Internalization 24.14 ± 3.29 10–27 0.834 -1.874 3.887 Food safety attitude scale 50.36 ± 4.63 29–54 0.860 -2.377 6.374 X̄ ± SD = mean ± standard deviation, CA (α) = Cronbach's Alpha Table 7 displays the distribution of food safety attitudes among pregnant women. The majority of the participants (91.2%) showed “highly favourable attitudes,” “partially favourable attitudes” (8.8%), and “negative attitudes” on the food safety attitude scale. While 96.3% of the participants showed “highly positive attitudes” on the caring about subscale, only 1.9% of the participants showed “negative attitudes.” While 80.1% of the participants showed a “highly positive attitude,” 17.6% of the participants showed a “partially positive attitude,” and 2.3% showed a “negative attitude” in the internalization subscale. Table 7 Distribution of food safety attitudes among the pregnant women n (%) Food Safety Attitude Scale Partially positive attitude 19 (8.8) Highly positive attitude 197 (91.2) Caring about Negative attitude 4 (1.9) Partially positive attitude 4 (1.9) Highly positive attitude 208 (96.3) Internalization Negative attitude 5 (2.3) Partially positive attitude 38 (17.6) Highly positive attitude 173 (80.1) As shown in Table 8 the comparison of the pregnant women’s scores of the food safety attitude scale and their subscale scores according to different variables. No statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and its subscales and educational status (p > 0.05). The mean scores of the individuals who graduated from primary school and below, graduated from high school, and held a bachelor’s degree or above were close to each other. A statistically significant difference was found between the internalization subscale of the food safety attitude scale and profession (p = 0.008). The mean score of individuals who were housewives was 23.90 (SD = 3.52), the mean score of individuals who were civil servants was 23.37 (SD = 3.48), and the mean score of individuals who were self-employed/workers was 25.23 (SD = 2.22). According to the results of the post-hoc test, the mean score of those who were housewives and civil servants on the internalization subscale was significantly lower than those who were self-employed/workers. No statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and the caring about subscale and profession (p > 0.05). The mean scores of individuals who were housewives, civil servants, and self-employed/workers were close to each other. No statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and its subscales and income levels (p > 0.05). The mean scores of income groups were be close to each other. Table 8 Comparison of the Pregnant Women’s Scores of Food Safety Attitude Scale and Their Subscale Scores According to Different Variables (n = 216) Score of Food Safety Attitude Scale Caring About Subscale Internalization Subscale X̄ ± SD X̄ ± SD X̄ ± SD Educational status Primary School and below 49.48 ± 6.38 25.75 ± 3.74 23.73 ± 4.14 High School 50.06 ± 4.26 26.15 ± 2.39 23.91 ± 3.20 Bachelor’s degree or above 51.16 ± 3.47 26.55 ± 2.02 24.61 ± 2.71 H:3.370 p:0.185 H:2.848p:0.241 H:2.017p:0.365 Profession ( 1 ) Housewife 50.13 ± 4.87 26.22 ± 2.52 23.90 ± 3.52 ( 2 ) Civil Servant 49.66 ± 4.68 26.29 ± 3.05 23.37 ± 3.48 ( 3 ) Self-employed/ worker 51.34 ± 3.92 26.11 ± 2.80 25.23 ± 2.22 H:5.905p:0.052 H:0.510p:0.775 H:9.698p:0.008* 1 < 3, 2 < 3 Income Status of the Family Minimum wage and below 49.79 ± 5.43 25.89 ± 3.38 23.90 ± 3.55 Above minimum wage 51.14 ± 3.05 26.67 ± .82 24.48 ± 2.86 U:1.141p:0.254 U:0.892p:0.372 U:0.872p:0.383 H = Kruskal Wallis Test, U = Mann Whitney Test, *p < 0.05 Table 9 displays the correlation between the age of the pregnant women and the food safety attitude scale and its subscales. A significant, weak, and negative correlation was found between age and attitude only (r=-0.139, p < 0.05). As the age increased, the score of the food safety attitude scale decreased. Table 9 Analysis of the correlation between the age of the pregnant women and the results of the food safety attitude scale Age Food Safety Attitude Scale Caring about Internalization Age R 1 − .139 − .108 − .109 p-Value .041 * .114 .110 Food Safety Attitude Scale R 1 .719 .827 p-Value < .001 ** < .001 ** Caring about R 1 .203 p-Value .003 ** Internalization R 1 p-Value Pearson Correlation Test, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001; r: correlation coefficient Table 10 presents the multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictive role of age and educational status on Food Safety Attitude Scale scores among pregnant women. The model was statistically significant (F(4,209) = 3.752, p = 0.006), explaining approximately 6.7% of the variance in the attitude scores (R² = 0.067, Adjusted R² = 0.049). Among the predictors, educational status had a significant negative effect (B = -0.983, p = 0.021), indicating that lower educational status was associated with decreased attitude scores. Age did not significantly predict the attitude scores (p = 0.714). These results suggest that education status plays a more influential role than age in shaping food safety attitudes in this sample. Table 10 Multiple Regression Analysis Results for Determinants of Food Safety Attitude Scale Score (n = 216) Predictor B (Unstandardized Coefficient) Std. Error t p-value 95% CI Lower 95% CI Upper Age -0.03 0.082 -0.367 0.714 -0.193 0.132 Educational Status -0.983 0.424 -2.321 0.021 -1.818 -0.148 Dependent variable = Food Safety Attitude Score. Model summary: R² = 0.067; Adjusted R² = 0.049. Model significance: F(4, 209) = 3.752, p = 0.006. 4. DISCUSSION Understanding knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours concerning food safety is crucial to reduce foodborne diseases and assure public health. Several studies have investigated these aspects in different populations, demonstrated complex correlations, and emphasised the importance of education and training. Although knowledge is important, attitudes often play a more significant role in affecting behaviours. Pregnant women represent a vulnerable group when it comes to food safety due to their immunomodulatory condition, increasing the risk of foodborne diseases that can adversely affect both the mother and the foetus. Although the findings of this study largely corroborate the existing literature, they also present some differences and striking points. The literature suggests that knowledge status significantly affects attitudes, but the direct correlation between knowledge and behaviour is limited ( 16 ). Likewise, this study revealed that the participants were highly aware of many basic hygiene practices (85.2% hand washing, 98.6% fruit and vegetable washing) but were less likely to behave correctly at some critical check points (e.g., 39.5% preferred thawing on the kitchen counter among frozen food thawing methods). Asiedu et al., (2021) reported that 87% of the participants had satisfactory knowledge in general, but only 58% knew how to prevent foodborne diseases ( 5 ). Jeffs et al., (2020) reported a mean knowledge score of 95%, but only 25% of participants responded correctly to all questions( 6 ). This is compatible with the situation defined in the literature as the gap between knowledge and behaviour. Literature has reported that a lack of knowledge on temperature control and cross-contamination is frequently prevalent in pregnant women ( 3 , 8 ). Likewise, this study highlighted the lack of knowledge and practices regarding the safety of milk and dairy products, as well as the consumption of raw milk (66.7%), the boiling time of mlk (10–15 minutes at the rate of 40.8%), and the refreezing of thawed food. A study conducted by Bryant et al., (2017) in Australia reported that pregnant women were less aware of certain risks, and their misinformation rates were high ( 17 ). Likewise, this study revealed that lack of knowledge about microorganisms was quite widespread (Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii, and Brucella were unknown at the rate of 84.9%, 96.6%, 96.1%, and 54.8%, respectively). These results suggest that a lack of knowledge about microbiological hazards poses a common problem in many countries. The literature has emphasised that educational status and age are positively correlated with the knowledge status ( 4 , 8 ). This study revealed that risky food behaviours were more controlled with higher educational status. Differences in attitudes and behaviours are closely related to demographic and cultural factors. Higher educational status, age, and equality are associated with more accurate information and safer practices ( 4 , 5 ), while ethnic differences emerged, as evidenced by lower compliance among participants ( 6 ). Sources of information are more likely to be obtained from informal networks and the media than from healthcare professionals ( 3 ). Despite generally high knowledge status, a gap between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour appears to exist. For example, one study reported that only 13% of pregnant women fully complied with the food safety rules and adopted behaviour and attitudes ( 6 ). Another study reported that less than half of the participants engaged in satisfactory food safety practices ( 5 ). A positive attitude towards food safety existed, but it was not always reflected in practice, as was the case with food preservatives. On the other hand, in the present study, the negative attitudes of the majority of the participants towards packaged foods (92.6%) and additives (96.7%) are compatible with the finding of incomplete and incorrect knowledge about preservatives in the study by Yuan et al., (2025)( 9 ). This indicates that especially false beliefs about additives and packaged foods could be corrected through education. A study conducted in the USA (Kendall et al., 2017) reported that trainings were effective, especially when they were specific to pathogens ( 7 ). The findings of this study similarly demonstrated the need for targeted education on microbiological risks. A study conducted in Iran ( 18 ) emphasised the importance of social and governmental supports. Likewise, this study highlighted that risk perception as well as lack of knowledge affected behaviours and comprehensive support and educational programmes were required for sustainable good practices. While the findings are generally in line with existing literature, the study also indicates that misconceptions about microbiological hazards, temperature control, freezing-thawing, and food additives may still persist among pregnant women. It can be asserted that educational content should be structured to include both knowledge transfer and attitudes and risk perception. Food safety aims to implement the right practices by turning knowledge into behaviour. However, this process not only depends on the knowledge status, but attitudes and environmental factors also play an important role ( 19 ). The sustainability of real food safety practices is possible by having knowledge, as well as building positive attitudes and establishing appropriate environmental conditions under which these attitudes can be transformed into behaviour. As indicated by Hazeena et al., (2023), targeted educational interventions may significantly improve both attitudes and behaviours ( 20 ). However, as emphasised in the study conducted by Ellinda-Patra et al., (2020), environmental facilitators and supportive elements are required during the transformation process from knowledge to behaviour ( 21 ). The results align with existing literature on these associations. As the educational status of the pregnant women elevated, their behaviours of using paper towels or tissues to dry their hands, putting cooked or raw foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours, and checking the expiry date on the packages of foods before consumption increased significantly (p = 0.001; p = 0.001; p = 0.002). The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that educational status significantly influenced food safety attitudes, supporting existing literature on the role of education in shaping food-related behaviours. In contrast, age had no significant effect, possibly due to entrenched habits or outdated knowledge. Nevertheless, the model’s limited explanatory power indicates that additional social, environmental, and individual factors may also play a role. These findings suggest that higher educational attainment may be associated with improved food safety knowledge and practices. However, the sustainability of such behaviours likely depends on supportive environmental conditions. Taken together, the integration of knowledge, attitudes, and environmental facilitators appears crucial for promoting effective and lasting food safety behaviours. Education and teaching are recognised as essential components in improving food safety practices. It has been reported that a sense of commitment shaped by knowledge and attitudes improves hygienic practices, and the development of responsibility and determination can support food safety compliance ( 22 ). While knowledge is essential, it may not be sufficient on its own to ensure safe food handling behaviours. Attitudes may influence how knowledge translates into behaviour, highlighting the importance of educational programmes that also aim to strengthen positive attitudes. Moreover, the environmental and contextual factors are also reported to have significant effects on the display of behaviours. The findings of this study are compatible with the findings of this literature. The study showed that the majority of the participants (91.2%) adopted a positive attitude towards food safety, and the mean score of food safety attitude scale was 50.36 ± 4.63. The high rate of positive attitudes observed may reflect a potential for education and awareness-raising efforts to further support food safety practices. However, no statistically significant difference was found between attitude scores and educational status and income level. The similarity in attitude scores across educational status suggests that positive attitudes toward food safety are not limited to individuals with higher education. As indicated by Taha et al., (2024), this suggests that the sense of responsibility and determination might depend not only on the knowledge status but also on individual commitment and awareness ( 22 ). Significant differences were found between occupational groups in the internalization subscale, which may suggest that contextual or experiential factors play a role; however, no significant difference was observed in the caring about subscale. A weak but significant and negative correlation was found between the age variable and attitude scores (r=-0.139, p < 0.05). This finding indicates that there may be a slight drop in the scores of food safety attitude as age increases. This may suggest that environmental and contextual factors, such as habits and behavioural patterns, could influence attitudes across different age groups, highlighting the importance of regularly updating food safety knowledge. While pregnant women show a willingness to adopt safe food practices, evidence suggests that their behaviours do not always align with their attitudes. The results suggest that food safety education could benefit from being more inclusive and focused on specific behavioural risks. While these studies have emphasised the importance of food safety knowledge among pregnant women, they also identify significant gaps and challenges. The diversity in knowledge and practices in different regions underlines the need for culturally and contextually appropriate educational interventions. Strengthening the role of healthcare professionals in disseminating food safety information may contribute to improved awareness and practices among pregnant women. This study is consistent with the literature that highlights the complex relationship between knowledge, attitude, and behaviour, and it suggests that holistic approaches involving individual responsibility, professional experience, and environmental factors may be beneficial. Educational and training programmes may benefit from incorporating not only knowledge transfer but also strategies to strengthen attitudes, personal responsibility, and environmental support mechanisms. 5. CONCLUSION This study found that pregnant women tended to report positive attitudes and behaviours toward food safety. Most participants reported generally positive attitudes, although knowledge gaps were observed in certain areas. Despite a general status of knowledge, the participants showed limited awareness regarding specific practices such as boiling raw milk for an appropriate duration, proper thawing methods, and foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii , and Brucella . There appear to be knowledge gaps and possible misconceptions regarding the use of herbal supplements during pregnancy. Some participants perceived herbal supplements as harmless, indicating a need to raise awareness about the importance of using only evidence-based and safe products during pregnancy. A negative association was observed between age and attitude scores. The findings of the multiple regression analysis indicated that educational status is a significant predictor of food safety attitudes among pregnant women. Therefore, educational interventions focusing on individuals with lower education status could help support more positive food safety attitudes. On the other hand, a difference was found between occupational groups in the internalization subscale. Although food safety practices were generally reported to be favourable, certain risky behaviours were still present, possibly due to knowledge gaps. While previous studies have highlighted the importance of food safety knowledge among pregnant women, they also suggest that certain knowledge gaps and practical challenges may exist. The diversity in knowledge and practices across regions suggests that culturally and contextually tailored educational interventions may be beneficial. Enhancing the role of healthcare professionals as reliable sources of information may help improve food safety awareness and practices during pregnancy. Findings indicate that educational efforts focusing on basic food safety could be beneficial for pregnant women. Educational interventions may benefit from including content on the appropriate boiling time of raw milk, safe thawing methods, and awareness of risky microorganisms It is important to disseminate accurate and comprehensible information to help reduce incorrect food safety practices. Considering that physicians are often the primary source of information for pregnant women, offering updated and comprehensive food safety training to healthcare professionals may enhance their ability to provide accurate guidance. It may be beneficial to encourage healthcare professionals to provide food safety guidance when interacting with pregnant women in appropriate healthcare settings. Based on the identified knowledge gaps, public health centres and local health institutions may consider developing campaigns and educational materials on food safety and hygiene. Topics such as microbiological risks, the use of herbal supplements, and pregnancy-specific food safety issues could be addressed. Additionally, organising free and accessible training sessions for low-income women may support more equitable access to information. Conclusively, pregnant women's attitudes and behaviours regarding food safety appear to be influenced by their status of knowledge, perceptions, and access to information. Although many express concern about food safety, existing studies and this research suggest that there may be gaps in knowledge and practices, especially regarding specific recommendations and foodborne risks. These findings point to the potential value of tailored educational interventions to support improved food safety behaviours among vulnerable populations. Therefore, considering the relatively limited sample size, future studies may consider examining the effects of variables such as educational status, income, age, and occupation on food safety behaviours in greater depth. Abbreviations SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences CA (α) Cronbach’s Alpha WHO World Health Organization TV Television e.g. Exempli gratia Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate For the ethical eligibility of the study, ethics committee approval was obtained from the Ethical Principles and Ethics Committee of the ...................... University (2024/02-15 and E.5205), and institutional permission was obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health under Bitlis Governorship (E-39320161-602.01.0.-234398851). Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and all participants were informed about the aim, process, and confidentiality of the study before providing written consent. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The researcher collected the data from volunteer subjects through face-to-face interview technique. Consent for publication Not applicable. Availability of data and material The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are not available publicly to protect the confidentiality of the participants but can be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Funding This study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Author Contributions EAK designed the research protocol, acted as an advisor for the research, and drafted the article. MV designed the research protocol, conducted the research, and completed the study as a master’s thesis. All authors reviewed the article. Acknowledgments We thank the participants who answered the survey questions honestly during data collection stage. This article is derived from a unpublished master’s thesis titled “Determining Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours Regarding Food Safety: The Case of Bitlis Province.” The results of the study have not been previously published anywhere else. Since we promised the participants that their information would not be shared and the data would only be used for scientific purposes while conducting the current study, it is not publicly available. Therefore, the data obtained for this study will not be shared due to “protection of personal data”. Collective consent of the participants is required for sharing. However, all data generated or analysed during this study are already included in article. Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process During the preparation and writing of this article, the authors did not use any artificial intelligence-based applications. References Vitória P, et al. Health literacy and adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors in pregnancy. Patient Educ Couns. 2021;104(10):2594-2600. WHO. Food safety: key facts. World Health Organization. 2024. Jevšnik M, Česen A, Šantić M, Ovca A. Food Safety Knowledge and Practices of Pregnant Women and Postpartum Mothers in Slovenia. Foods. 2021 Oct 12;10(10):2412. doi: 10.3390/foods10102412. Al Daour R, Osaili TM, Hashim M, Savvaidis IN, Salim NA, Al-Nabulsi AA, ElSayegh HB, Hubaishi N, Coussa A, Salame A, Mohamad MN, Saleh ST, Hasan H, Al Dhaheri AS, Stojanovska L, Cheikh Ismail L. Food safety knowledge among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 30;17(12):e0279810. Asiedu E, Assan A, Dormechele W. Food safety knowledge and practice among pregnant women: a cross sectional study in Ghana. J Public Health Res. 2021 May 26;10(3):2009. doi: 10.4081/jphr.2021.2009. Jeffs E, Williman J, Brunton C, Gullam J, Walls T. Pregnant women's knowledge of, and adherence to, New Zealand Food Safety in Pregnancy guidelines. N Z Med J. 2020 Nov 20;133(1525):41-52. Kendall P, Scharff R, Baker S, LeJeune J, Sofos J, Medeiros L. Food Safety Instruction Improves Knowledge and Behavior Risk and Protection Factors for Foodborne Illnesses in Pregnant Populations. Matern Child Health J. 2017 Aug;21(8):1686-1698. Almanasrah S, Osaili TM, Al-Nabulsi AA, Obeidat NA, Sindiani AM, Elsalem L, et al. Food safety knowledge and risk perception among pregnant women: A cross-sectional study in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2022;6:996302. Yuan S, Liu W, Shen Z, Ren M, Hao S. Pregnant women's knowledge, attitude, and practice toward food preservatives: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025 Mar 19;25(1):314. Al Mamun MA, A Ghani RB, Shill LC, Afroz F, Chowdhury AI, Akter F, Jahan EA, Rana MM, Li J. Assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of childbearing mothers in the geographically coastal region of Bangladesh for cleanliness and food safety of food security. SAGE Open Med. 2024 Aug 18;12:20503121241264741. doi: 10.1177/20503121241264741. Şanlıer N. (2009). The Knowledge and Practice of Food Safety by Young Adult Consumers. Food Control, 20, 538-542. Athearn PN, Kendall PA, Hillers VN, Schroeder M, Bergmann V, Chen G, et al. Consumer food safety knowledge: A comparison of self-reported and observed behaviors. J Food Prot. 2004;67(7):1530-1537. Tavşancıl E. Tutumların ölçülmesi ve SPSS ile veri analizi. Nobel Yayın Dağıtım; 2006. Memiş, E. (2009). Ortaöğretim Kurumlarının Yemekhanelerinde Çalışan Personelin, Öğrencilerin ve Öğretmenlerin Gıda Güvenliği Konusunda Bilgi ve Tutumları. Yayınlanmamış Doktora Tezi. Gazi Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Ankara. Tabachnick B, Fidell L. Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson Education; 2013. Marklinder I, Eskhult G, Ahlgren R, Blücher A, Börjesson SE, Moazzami M, et al. A Structural Equation Model Demonstrating the Relationship between Food Safety Background, Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour among Swedish Students. Foods. 2022 May 28;11(11):1595. Bryant J, Waller A, Cameron E, Hure A, Sanson-Fisher R. Diet during pregnancy: Women's knowledge of and adherence to food safety guidelines. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2017 Jun;57(3):315-322. Bagheri M, Lamyian M, Sadighi J, Ahmadi F, Mohammadi-Nasrabadi F. Food security during pregnancy: A qualitative content analysis study in Iran. Matern Child Nutr. 2025 Jan;21(1):e13725. Kasza G, Izsó T, Kunszabó A, Szakos D, Lénárt I, Bozánné Békefi E, et al. Consumer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour regarding food safety - A perspective from Laos. Heliyon. 2024 Apr 16;10(9):e29725. Hazeena SH, Chen XH, Yeh CS, Hsieh CW, Chen MH, Huang PH, et al. The relationship among knowledge, attitude, and behavior of workers on food safety in Taiwan's Company A. J Food Sci Technol. 2023 Apr;60(4):1294-1302. Ellinda-Patra MW, Dewanti-Hariyadi R, Nurtama B. Modeling of food safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior characteristics. Food Research. 2020;4(4):1045-1052. Taha S, Angor M, Al-Marazeeq KM, Osaili TM, Albloush A, et al. Improving food safety compliance of potential employees through a novel model of knowledge, attitude, commitment, and practice. J Food Sci. 2024 Dec;89(12):10222-10238. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7124395","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":508597931,"identity":"425661f8-5b01-4e50-a70f-746748cbfcb4","order_by":0,"name":"Merve Varol","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bitlis Eren University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Merve","middleName":"","lastName":"Varol","suffix":""},{"id":508597932,"identity":"e62dfb63-1db7-4442-aec5-1263b6aa2493","order_by":1,"name":"Esma Aksoy Kendilci","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACNhCWkGFgZj4GEThApBYeBma2NJgWxgYitDDwMDDwmBGnhZ/9WOLjgjILHv52nm8PPrYxyPHdSGB/XIFHi2RP2mHjGeckeCQO8243nNnGYCx5I4Gx8QweLQYH0tukedskeAyYebcBGQyJG0Ba8LnM/vzz9t8QLTzPpP+2MdQT1GIgkXaMGaqFTZqxjSHBgJAWiRvPkqV5wH5hMzfsOSdhOPPMw8aZ+LTw96cZfuYpq5Pj7z/87MGPMht5vuPJBz7i04JhKxATislRMApGwSgYBQQBAOdkRsC6PT14AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Bitlis Eren University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Esma","middleName":"Aksoy","lastName":"Kendilci","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-14 20:53:14","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":93389970,"identity":"8602f7c2-7d22-4dd9-b67c-58cf7ff341c7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-13 10:32:01","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2276454,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7124395/v1/eec975b0-8b98-48d5-8a94-5123e76b382c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours on Food Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study","fulltext":[{"header":"1. INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe nutritional habits of pregnant women are significantly correlated with foetal growth and development. Not only adequate and balanced nutrition, but also attention to the safety of the food consumed by individuals, play an important role. When people have adequate knowledge about food safety, this can prevent foodborne infections to a significant extent. Providing food safety information is the first and fundamental step in achieving food safety. Knowledge not only enhances the quality of food safety practices but also has an impact on food safety attitudes and practices (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, food safety involves a large chain that extends from the agricultural field to the table. Threats that may be posed in any of these chain links, from the production of food to its consumption, may harm human health by disrupting food safety. Foodborne diseases may exacerbate the danger due to changes in the immune system during pregnancy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, it is important to be highly aware of food safety during pregnancy. Studies in various countries have shown that pregnant women generally have moderate to good knowledge and awareness of food safety, but significant gaps remain in specific areas such as cross-contamination, temperature control, and proper food processing at home (\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR4 CR5\" citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, improving food safety education for pregnant women holds great importance for mitigating the risk of foodborne illness for both mothers and their infants (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePregnant women often exhibit limited knowledge about food safety, particularly foodborne illnesses and safe food processing practices. A study indicated a mean knowledge score of only 46.6% among participants (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). In another study, it was found that knowledge about food preservatives was remarkably poor, with a mean score of 10.21 out of 17 (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). Despite knowledge gaps, many pregnant women hold positive attitudes towards food safety. Almanasrah et al., (2022) reported that 64.9% were informed about food safety during their pregnancies, indicating a willingness to learn (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). Jevšnik et al., (2021) also showed that pregnant women have better food safety practices compared to postpartum mothers, suggesting a proactive approach during pregnancy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). Behavioural practices significantly vary; many women are not aware of specific risks, such as cross-contamination and temperature control, during safe food processing (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). It has been reported that socio-economic factors affect knowledge and practices related to food safety and educational interventions are vital (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e). The messages planned for food safety education programmes to be delivered to consumers of all age groups should be long-lasting; training should be periodically repeated to allow the learned information to turn into attitudes and behaviours; and procedures and processes should be regularly checked (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e). While studies have highlighted an overall positive attitude towards food safety among pregnant women, persistent gaps in knowledge and specific practices emphasise the need for targeted educational programmes to increase food safety awareness and behaviours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, this study was designed and conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of pregnant women towards food safety.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on this purpose, the questions identified and sought to be answered within the scope of the study are as follows;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is the status of knowledge pregnant women have about food safety?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat attitudes and behaviours do pregnant women exhibit towards food safety?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo they know the foods they should especially avoid during their pregnancies?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo they pay attention to the points to be considered when buying, cooking, and preserving food during pregnancy?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIs there any correlation between socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women, such as educational status, place of residence, income, profession, etc., and their knowledge status, attitudes, and behaviours concerning food safety?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo pregnant women know the bacteria that cause food poisoning and affect the foetus?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo whom do pregnant women follow the most advice on food safety?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. MATERIALS and METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eResearch design, protocol approvals and subject characteristics\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The population consisted of 554 pregnant women who lived in rural areas and registered at the Central Public Health Centre during the period when the study was planned (January-December 2023). The sample size was 215 pregnant women, according to the reference study (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e), with a confidence interval of 95%. The inclusion criteria were determined as follows; being enrolled in the family health centres affiliated with the Public Health Centre, being pregnant women, and being voluntary to participate in the study; whereas, communication problems were the exclusion criteria. Initially, 216 pregnant women, aged 19\u0026ndash;65 years, participated in the study. All participants were informed about the study at the beginning and volunteers were included in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data collection technique was a questionnaire about demographic characteristics and food safety related to knowledge, attitudes, and practice. First, the researcher conducted a pilot study with 10 pregnant women and revised the questions that were not fully comprehended. The researchers then handed out the questionnaires to the participants. It took approximately 20 minutes for them to complete the questionnaires. Each participant signed a consent form indicating that they agreed to participate voluntarily, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association), and then completed the questionnaires.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eData Collection Tools\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA questionnaire prepared by the researcher was used to collect the data. The revised questionnaire was divided into four sections:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eA demographic section (10 items/questions)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003ePregnancy and health-related questions (4 items/questions)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood safety knowledge (20 items/questions)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood safety practices (11 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood safety attitude (18 items/questions)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first part of the general questionnaire included 10 questions about demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational status, and marital status and four questions about pregnancy and health. The second part of the questionnaire included a 20-question section (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e), which was created by utilising the literature to assess the knowledge of food safety during pregnancy, and the basic level\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eof food safety knowledge of pregnant women was assessed. On the other hand, the third part included questions on behavioural practices towards food safety and the food safety attitude scale. A behavioural practices questionnaire consisting of 11 questions was used to determine behaviours related to food safety based on the literature (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood safety attitude scale: it was developed by Memiş in 2009. This 3-point Likert-type scale consists of 18 items and its variance rate was determined as 42%. The alpha value was 0.85. Accordingly, considering the lowest and highest possible total attitude scores, 27 points and below were considered as negative attitudes, 28\u0026ndash;44 points were partially positive attitudes, and 45 points and above were positive attitudes. Following the same approach, 14 points and below were grouped as negative attitude, 15\u0026ndash;22 points as partially positive attitude, and 23 and above as positive attitude for the subscales of the scale (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e). In this study, the Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha coefficient of the food safety attitude scale was found to be 0.86, indicating high reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStatistical Analysis\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data of the study were transferred to the computer environment and edited with Microsoft Excel software and then analysed with SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 29.0 software. Before starting the analysis, whether or not the numerical data were normally distributed was examined with Skewness and Kurtosis tests (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e), Histogram and Q-Q Plot graphs. As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the data did not meet the assumption of normal distribution. Categorical data were shown with frequency and percentage values, while numerical data were shown with mean, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum values. During data analysis, data were analysed with Mann Whitney U Test for two independent group comparisons and Kruskal-Wallis H test in case of more than two groups. The correlation between two categorical variables was analysed with the Chi-Square test. Fisher\u0026rsquo;s Exact value was taken when observation values were below 5. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between variables with a normal (parametric) distribution. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the variables that predict Food Safety Attitude Scale scores. The food safety attitude score was the dependent variable, and age and educational status were included as independent variables. The model was constructed using the Enter method. Model adequacy was tested with the F-test, and the significance of the predictors was assessed through β (Beta) coefficients and p-values. Statistical significance level was accepted as p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05 for all tests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e For the ethical eligibility of the study, ethics committee approval was obtained from the Ethical Principles and Ethics Committee of the ...................... University (2024/02\u0026ndash;15 and E.5205), and institutional permission was obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health under \u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. Governorship (E-39320161-602.01.0.-234398851). \u003cb\u003e Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection.\u003c/b\u003e Participation was voluntary, and all participants were informed about the aim, process, and confidentiality of the study before providing written consent. The researcher collected the data from volunteer subjects through face-to-face interview technique.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLimitations and Strengths\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a cross-sectional study, causal relationships cannot be established, and the findings reflect only a specific point in time. The fact that the sample was drawn from a single province limits the generalisability of the findings to regions with different geographical and cultural characteristics. The use of self-reported questionnaires may have introduced recall bias and social desirability bias. Although educational status was a significant predictor, the low R\u0026sup2; suggests limited explanatory power of the model. This suggests that additional, unmeasured factors may influence food safety attitudes among pregnant women. The strengths of this study may include the following: This study is among the few in T\u0026uuml;rkiye to quantitatively assess pregnant women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding food safety. The use of validated tools, such as the food safety attitude scale, allowed for systematic and comparable measurements. The sample of the study was determined based on statistical criteria and relevant literature, considering a 95% confidence interval. In addition to descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis was conducted to support the interpretation of key relationships. Therefore, the findings may serve as a preliminary assessment to inform future public health initiatives and educational interventions on food safety. Nonetheless, these strengths should be interpreted in light of the study\u0026rsquo;s scope and design limitations.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. FINDINGS","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e presents socio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women. The mean age of the participants was 28.56\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.64 years, and the rate of the participants held a bachelor's degree or above was the highest (39.3%). The majority of the participants (97.2%) lived in the city centre, and 86.1% had nuclear families. According to residential characteristics, 79.6% resided in an apartment and 82.8% had a separate kitchen in their homes. 58.9% of the women were housewives. The mean pregnancy period was 21.68\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.73 weeks, the mean gravidity was 1.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.98, and the mean number of living children was 1.61\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.86.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational Status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52 (24.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79 (36.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85 (39.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlace of Residence\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCity centre\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3210 (97.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistrict centre\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVillage/Town\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFamily Type\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear Family\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e186\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended Family\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNature of Your Residence\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eApartment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e172\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualified detached house\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLocation of the Kitchen\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eA separate kitchen in the house\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e178\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen kitchen in the living room\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProfession\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHousewife\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e126\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCivil servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf-employed/ Worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (years) (\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{\\varvec{x}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026plusmn; SD) (Lower-Upper Value)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.56\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.64 (18\u0026ndash;41)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge at Marriage (\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{\\varvec{x}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026plusmn; SD) (Lower-Upper Value)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.84\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.56 (16\u0026ndash;33)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGestational Week (\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{\\varvec{x}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026plusmn; SD) (Lower-Upper Value)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.60\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.73 (2\u0026ndash;38)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNumber of Pregnancy (\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{\\varvec{x}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026plusmn; SD) (Lower-Upper Value)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.98 (\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5\" citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNumber of Living Children (\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{\\varvec{x}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026plusmn; SD) (Lower-Upper Value)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.61\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.86 (\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR2 CR3 CR4\" citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e presents the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions that assessed their knowledge about food safety. The participants were informed about food safety during pregnancy mostly by physicians (74.9%). This was followed by dietitians (24.1%), media (20.4%), family elders (17.6%), and midwives (13.0%). The participants suggested that risky foods (meat, cheese, etc.) should be purchased at the end of grocery shopping (62.5%). The rate of those who stated that hands should be washed properly before preparing food was quite high (85.2%), and 98.6% thought that it was important to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. When consuming raw milk, 66.7% of the participants appeared to usually boil it for 10\u0026ndash;15 minutes (40.8%). The most preferred places for buying safe milk were raw milk purchased directly from the farm (86.7%), while avoiding mouldy cheeses (39.4%) and paying attention to pasteurised products (35.2%) stood out in cheese consumption during pregnancy. On the other hand, the rate of those who reported that milk and dairy products were the most perishable foods at room temperature was 97.2%.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions that assessed their knowledge about food safety (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"5\" rowspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho informed you about food safety during pregnancy? *\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhysicians\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e161 (75.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDietitians\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52 (24.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedia (TV, radio, magazines, etc.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47 (20.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily elders\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38 (17.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMidwives\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28 (13.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRetailers\u0026rsquo; recommendations when shopping\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3 (1.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhen should we buy risky foods (meat, cheese, etc.) when shopping for groceries?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the beginning of shopping\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e81 (37.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the end of shopping\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e135 (62.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow do we wash our hands correctly and effectively before we start preparing food?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater and soap\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28 (13.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater only\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater, soap and scrubbing between the fingers and around the wrists\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e184 (85.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs it important to wash fruit and vegetables before eating them?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e213 (98.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (0.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI do not know\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 (0.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you buy raw milk?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e144 (66.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e72 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow many minutes do you boil your raw milk at home? (minutes)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u0026ndash;10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31 (21.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58 (40.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15 and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53 (37.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere is the best place to buy safe milk?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSterilised and/or pasteurised boxed milk in shops\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19 (13.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRaw milk from the farm, i.e., directly from the producer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e124 (86.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"5\" rowspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat are the points you pay attention to when consuming cheese during pregnancy? *\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI avoid mouldy cheeses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85 (39.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI make sure that cheeses are produced from pasteurised milk.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e76 (35.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI do not buy cheeses sold open.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56 (25.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI consume village cheese.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e70 (32.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI do not consume cheese produced from raw milk.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 (3.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther (not consuming cheese)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (0.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhich of these foods spoils most quickly at room temperature?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMilk and dairy products\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e210 (97.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFruits and vegetables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCereals\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (0.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e* Multiple responses were given.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e presents the distribution of the responses of pregnant women to some questions about thawing frozen foods and some potentially risky foods. The most preferred methods for thawing frozen foods were thawing on the kitchen counter/room temperature (39.5%) and thawing in the refrigerator (33.0%). The rate of respondents who indicated that it is not safe to refreeze thawed foods was quite high (84.6%). The rate of those who believed that raw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (98.1%), pastries that contained raw eggs (90.7%), undercooked eggs (88.4%), cheeses produced from raw milk (96.3%), cold sandwiches (98.6%), rare-medium cooked meats (95.4%), and raw sprouts (89.4%) were unsafe to consume during pregnancy for food safety was quite high.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about thawing frozen foods and some potentially risky foods (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat is the best way to thaw frozen food?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the kitchen counter, at room temperature\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85 (39.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the microwave\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17 (7.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the refrigerator\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e71 (33.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn hot water\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38 (17.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInstant heat treatment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs it safe to refreeze thawed meat?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e181 (84.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 (3.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25 (11.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs the following safe to eat during pregnancy?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRaw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (e.g., raw meatballs, sushi, etc.)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e212 (98.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePastries that contain raw eggs (e.g., homemade mayonnaise, mosaic cake, cookies, and wet cake)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20 (9.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e196 (90.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUndercooked eggs (soft-boiled, easy, apricot-like eggs)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25 (11.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e191 (88.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRaw milk (unpasteurised)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5 (2.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e211 (97.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCheese produced from raw milk\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 (3.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e208 (96.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCold sandwiches (containing ham, salami, smoked meat, smoked fish, smoked turkey)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3 (1.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e213 (98.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRare-medium cooked meats\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10 (4.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e206 (95.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlfalfa or other raw sprouts\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23 (10.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e193 (89.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about food safety. 46.3% of the participants believed that herbal supplements (ginger, chamomile, mulberry leaves) might be beneficial before taking medication during pregnancy. Ginger (60.5%) and chamomile (28.7%) were the most preferred herbal supplements. While 54.9% of the participants reported negative opinions about the consumption of seafood for omega-3 fatty acids, 83.2% of them reported that mussels were particularly harmful. 25.5% of the participants indicated that they had previously suffered from food poisoning. Their levels of awareness about microorganisms were quite low, and it was observed that they lacked knowledge about \u003cem\u003eSalmonella (84.9%), Listeria (96.6%), Toxoplasma gondii (96.1%)\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eBrucella (54.8%)\u003c/em\u003e. Moreover, the majority of the participants (92.6%) thought that consumption of packaged food during pregnancy was harmful. The majority of the participants (96.7%) believed that food additives were harmful during pregnancy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistribution of the responses of the pregnant women to some questions about food safety (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs it better to benefit from herbal supplements (ginger, chamomile, mulberry leaf) rather than medication during pregnancy?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100 (46.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e78 (36.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don\u0026rsquo;t know\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38 (17.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"3\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhich of the herbal teas are safe during pregnancy? *\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChamomile\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48 (28.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSenna\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMulberry leaf\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16 (9.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGinger\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e101 (60.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCan we easily consume all seafood during pregnancy to intake omega-3 fatty acids?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50 (23.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e118 (54.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don\u0026rsquo;t know\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47 (21.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"1\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhich of the seafoods is harmful to consume during pregnancy?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMussel\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e173 (83.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35 (16.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"1\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHave you suffered from food poisoning before?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54 (25.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e158 (74.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"7\" rowspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHave you ever heard that these microorganisms are harmful to human health?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSalmonella\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31 (15.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e174 (84.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eListeria\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 (3.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e198 (96.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eToxoplasma gondii\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 (3.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e198 (96.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBrucella\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e95 (45.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e115 (54.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"1\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you believe that the consumption of packaged food during pregnancy is harmful?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e199 (92.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16 (7.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"1\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you believe that food additives are harmful during pregnancy?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e208 (96.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 (3.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e* Multiple responses were given.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e presents the distribution of the responses of the pregnant women to behavioural practices related to food safety according to their educational status. A significant correlation was found between the responses to the statement \u0026ldquo;I use paper towels or tissues to dry my hands\u0026rdquo; and educational status (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). 55.8% of those who held a bachelor's degree or below and 86.9% of those who held a bachelor's degree or above responded \u0026ldquo;always/quite often.\u0026rdquo; The difference in educational status between individuals holding a bachelor's degree or above and those with lower educational status was significant. A significant difference was also found in the statement \u0026ldquo;I touch raw animal products\u0026rdquo; according to educational status (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005). 72.5% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or below and 42.9% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or above, responded always/quite often. Educational status had a significant correlation with the statement, \u0026ldquo;I put raw or cooked foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours\u0026rdquo;, (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001). While this rate was 69.2% in the group that held a bachelor's degree or below, it was 86.9% in the group that held a bachelor's degree or above. Educational status had a significant correlation with in the statement, \u0026ldquo;I check the expiry dates on the packages before consuming foods\u0026rdquo;, with educational status (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002). 53.8% of the group that held a bachelor's degree or below and 69.9% of the group that held a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above, responded always/quite often.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistribution of the responses of the pregnant women to behavioural practices related to food safety according to their educational status (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBehaviours\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducational Status\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlways/Quite Often\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequently\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRarely/ Never\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003en\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003en\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003en\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{\\varvec{\\chi\\:}}^{2}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. I wash my hands before meals.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.482\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.477\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. I use paper towels or tissues to dry my hands.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.842\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. I touch raw animal products.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e72.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.089\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.005\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4. I wash my hands before touching ready-to-eat food\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.317\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e97.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5. I wash my hands after touching raw food.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.089\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.719\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e97.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6. I take care to keep raw food and ready-to-eat food separately in the fridge.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e92.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.721\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.445\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e81\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7. I put raw or cooked foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e69.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.192\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e59.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8. I check the expiry dates on the packages before consuming food.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.002\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003csub\u003ea\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e69.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u003csub\u003ea.b\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003csub\u003eb\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e9. I check whether foods are edible or not by tasting them before eating them.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e69.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.206\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.056\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e66.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10. I consume raw eggs and foods prepared from raw eggs (uncooked).\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.450\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.836\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e81\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e11. I consume raw meat and foods prepared from raw meat (uncooked).\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.825\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.768\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e81\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eχ\u0026sup2; = Chi-Square Test. Fisher\u0026rsquo;s Exact value was used when the observation value was below 5.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e the statistics of the pregnant women on the food safety attitude scale and its subscales. The mean and standard deviation value of the food safety attitude scale was 50.36\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.63, and the lower and upper values were 29\u0026ndash;54, respectively. The Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha coefficient is considered unreliable when it is between 0.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;α\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.40, low reliability when it is between 0.40\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;α\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.60, highly reliable when it is between 0.60\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;α\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.80, and highly reliable when it is between 0.80\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;α\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;1.00 (Tavakol \u0026amp; Dennick, 2011). When the table was analysed, it appeared that the food safety attitude scale and its subscales were highly reliable. Tabachnick and Fidell (2013) reported that data were normally distributed when skewness and kurtosis values ranged between \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1.5 and +\u0026thinsp;1.5. When we analysed the skewness and kurtosis values, it was observed that the food safety attitude scale and its subscales failed to meet the assumption of normal distribution.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistics of the responses of the pregnant women to the food safety attitude scale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eX̄ \u0026plusmn; SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLower-upper value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCA (α)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSkewness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKurtosis\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaring about\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.21\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u0026ndash;27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.929\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-5.347\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.109\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternalization\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.14\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.834\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1.874\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.887\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood safety attitude scale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e50.36\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.63\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e29\u0026ndash;54\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.860\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e-2.377\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.374\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eX̄ \u0026plusmn; SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;standard deviation, CA (α)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Cronbach's Alpha\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e displays the distribution of food safety attitudes among pregnant women. The majority of the participants (91.2%) showed \u0026ldquo;highly favourable attitudes,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;partially favourable attitudes\u0026rdquo; (8.8%), and \u0026ldquo;negative attitudes\u0026rdquo; on the food safety attitude scale. While 96.3% of the participants showed \u0026ldquo;highly positive attitudes\u0026rdquo; on the caring about subscale, only 1.9% of the participants showed \u0026ldquo;negative attitudes.\u0026rdquo; While 80.1% of the participants showed a \u0026ldquo;highly positive attitude,\u0026rdquo; 17.6% of the participants showed a \u0026ldquo;partially positive attitude,\u0026rdquo; and 2.3% showed a \u0026ldquo;negative attitude\u0026rdquo; in the internalization subscale.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistribution of food safety attitudes among the pregnant women\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFood Safety Attitude Scale\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePartially positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19 (8.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighly positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e197 (91.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaring about\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNegative attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePartially positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (1.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighly positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e208 (96.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInternalization\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNegative attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5 (2.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePartially positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38 (17.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighly positive attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e173 (80.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e the comparison of the pregnant women\u0026rsquo;s scores of the food safety attitude scale and their subscale scores according to different variables. No statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and its subscales and educational status (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). The mean scores of the individuals who graduated from primary school and below, graduated from high school, and held a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above were close to each other.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA statistically significant difference was found between the internalization subscale of the food safety attitude scale and profession (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.008). The mean score of individuals who were housewives was 23.90 (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.52), the mean score of individuals who were civil servants was 23.37 (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.48), and the mean score of individuals who were self-employed/workers was 25.23 (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.22). According to the results of the post-hoc test, the mean score of those who were housewives and civil servants on the internalization subscale was significantly lower than those who were self-employed/workers. No statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and the caring about subscale and profession (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). The mean scores of individuals who were housewives, civil servants, and self-employed/workers were close to each other.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo statistically significant difference was found between the food safety attitude scale and its subscales and income levels (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). The mean scores of income groups were be close to each other.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab8\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 8\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eComparison of the Pregnant Women\u0026rsquo;s Scores of Food Safety Attitude Scale and Their Subscale Scores According to Different Variables (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScore of Food Safety Attitude Scale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaring About Subscale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternalization Subscale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eX̄ \u0026plusmn; SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eX̄ \u0026plusmn; SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eX̄ \u0026plusmn; SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49.48\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.73\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50.06\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.15\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.91\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree or above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51.16\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.55\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.61\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.71\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH:3.370 p:0.185\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH:2.848p:0.241\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH:2.017p:0.365\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProfession\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) Housewife\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) Civil Servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49.66\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.29\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.37\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e) Self-employed/ worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51.34\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.92\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.11\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH:5.905p:0.052\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH:0.510p:0.775\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eH:9.698p:0.008*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;3, 2\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIncome Status of the Family\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMinimum wage and below\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbove minimum wage\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51.14\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.67\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;.82\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.48\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.86\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eU:1.141p:0.254\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eU:0.892p:0.372\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eU:0.872p:0.383\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eH\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Kruskal Wallis Test, U\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mann Whitney Test, *p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e displays the correlation between the age of the pregnant women and the food safety attitude scale and its subscales. A significant, weak, and negative correlation was found between age and attitude only (r=-0.139, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). As the age increased, the score of the food safety attitude scale decreased.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab9\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 9\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnalysis of the correlation between the age of the pregnant women and the results of the food safety attitude scale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood Safety Attitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaring\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eabout Internalization\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.139\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.108\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.109\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-Value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.041\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.114\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.110\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFood Safety Attitude Scale\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.719\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.827\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-Value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaring about\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.203\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-Value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.003\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternalization\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep-Value\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003ePearson Correlation Test, *p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05, **p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001; r: correlation coefficient\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab10\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e presents the multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictive role of age and educational status on Food Safety Attitude Scale scores among pregnant women. The model was statistically significant (F(4,209)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.752, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006), explaining approximately 6.7% of the variance in the attitude scores (R\u0026sup2; = 0.067, Adjusted R\u0026sup2; = 0.049). Among the predictors, educational status had a significant negative effect (B = -0.983, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.021), indicating that lower educational status was associated with decreased attitude scores. Age did not significantly predict the attitude scores (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.714). These results suggest that education status plays a more influential role than age in shaping food safety attitudes in this sample.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab10\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 10\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple Regression Analysis Results for Determinants of Food Safety Attitude Scale Score (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;216)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePredictor\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eB (Unstandardized Coefficient)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStd. Error\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e95% CI Lower\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e95% CI Upper\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.082\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.367\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.714\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.193\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.132\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational Status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.983\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.424\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2.321\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1.818\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.148\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDependent variable\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Food Safety Attitude Score. Model summary: R\u0026sup2; = 0.067; Adjusted R\u0026sup2; = 0.049. Model significance: F(4, 209)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.752, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"4. DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours concerning food safety is crucial to reduce foodborne diseases and assure public health. Several studies have investigated these aspects in different populations, demonstrated complex correlations, and emphasised the importance of education and training. Although knowledge is important, attitudes often play a more significant role in affecting behaviours. Pregnant women represent a vulnerable group when it comes to food safety due to their immunomodulatory condition, increasing the risk of foodborne diseases that can adversely affect both the mother and the foetus.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough the findings of this study largely corroborate the existing literature, they also present some differences and striking points. The literature suggests that knowledge status significantly affects attitudes, but the direct correlation between knowledge and behaviour is limited (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e). Likewise, this study revealed that the participants were highly aware of many basic hygiene practices (85.2% hand washing, 98.6% fruit and vegetable washing) but were less likely to behave correctly at some critical check points (e.g., 39.5% preferred thawing on the kitchen counter among frozen food thawing methods). Asiedu et al., (2021) reported that 87% of the participants had satisfactory knowledge in general, but only 58% knew how to prevent foodborne diseases (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). Jeffs et al., (2020) reported a mean knowledge score of 95%, but only 25% of participants responded correctly to all questions(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). This is compatible with the situation defined in the literature as the gap between knowledge and behaviour. Literature has reported that a lack of knowledge on temperature control and cross-contamination is frequently prevalent in pregnant women (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). Likewise, this study highlighted the lack of knowledge and practices regarding the safety of milk and dairy products, as well as the consumption of raw milk (66.7%), the boiling time of mlk (10\u0026ndash;15 minutes at the rate of 40.8%), and the refreezing of thawed food. A study conducted by Bryant et al., (2017) in Australia reported that pregnant women were less aware of certain risks, and their misinformation rates were high (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e). Likewise, this study revealed that lack of knowledge about microorganisms was quite widespread (Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii, and Brucella were unknown at the rate of 84.9%, 96.6%, 96.1%, and 54.8%, respectively). These results suggest that a lack of knowledge about microbiological hazards poses a common problem in many countries. The literature has emphasised that educational status and age are positively correlated with the knowledge status (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). This study revealed that risky food behaviours were more controlled with higher educational status.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDifferences in attitudes and behaviours are closely related to demographic and cultural factors. Higher educational status, age, and equality are associated with more accurate information and safer practices (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e), while ethnic differences emerged, as evidenced by lower compliance among participants (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). Sources of information are more likely to be obtained from informal networks and the media than from healthcare professionals (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). Despite generally high knowledge status, a gap between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour appears to exist. For example, one study reported that only 13% of pregnant women fully complied with the food safety rules and adopted behaviour and attitudes (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). Another study reported that less than half of the participants engaged in satisfactory food safety practices (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). A positive attitude towards food safety existed, but it was not always reflected in practice, as was the case with food preservatives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, in the present study, the negative attitudes of the majority of the participants towards packaged foods (92.6%) and additives (96.7%) are compatible with the finding of incomplete and incorrect knowledge about preservatives in the study by Yuan et al., (2025)(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). This indicates that especially false beliefs about additives and packaged foods could be corrected through education. A study conducted in the USA (Kendall et al., 2017) reported that trainings were effective, especially when they were specific to pathogens (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e). The findings of this study similarly demonstrated the need for targeted education on microbiological risks. A study conducted in Iran (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e) emphasised the importance of social and governmental supports. Likewise, this study highlighted that risk perception as well as lack of knowledge affected behaviours and comprehensive support and educational programmes were required for sustainable good practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile the findings are generally in line with existing literature, the study also indicates that misconceptions about microbiological hazards, temperature control, freezing-thawing, and food additives may still persist among pregnant women. It can be asserted that educational content should be structured to include both knowledge transfer and attitudes and risk perception. Food safety aims to implement the right practices by turning knowledge into behaviour. However, this process not only depends on the knowledge status, but attitudes and environmental factors also play an important role (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e). The sustainability of real food safety practices is possible by having knowledge, as well as building positive attitudes and establishing appropriate environmental conditions under which these attitudes can be transformed into behaviour. As indicated by Hazeena et al., (2023), targeted educational interventions may significantly improve both attitudes and behaviours (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e). However, as emphasised in the study conducted by Ellinda-Patra et al., (2020), environmental facilitators and supportive elements are required during the transformation process from knowledge to behaviour (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e). The results align with existing literature on these associations. As the educational status of the pregnant women elevated, their behaviours of using paper towels or tissues to dry their hands, putting cooked or raw foods in the refrigerator within a maximum of 2 hours, and checking the expiry date on the packages of foods before consumption increased significantly (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002). The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that educational status significantly influenced food safety attitudes, supporting existing literature on the role of education in shaping food-related behaviours. In contrast, age had no significant effect, possibly due to entrenched habits or outdated knowledge. Nevertheless, the model\u0026rsquo;s limited explanatory power indicates that additional social, environmental, and individual factors may also play a role. These findings suggest that higher educational attainment may be associated with improved food safety knowledge and practices. However, the sustainability of such behaviours likely depends on supportive environmental conditions. Taken together, the integration of knowledge, attitudes, and environmental facilitators appears crucial for promoting effective and lasting food safety behaviours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation and teaching are recognised as essential components in improving food safety practices. It has been reported that a sense of commitment shaped by knowledge and attitudes improves hygienic practices, and the development of responsibility and determination can support food safety compliance (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e). While knowledge is essential, it may not be sufficient on its own to ensure safe food handling behaviours. Attitudes may influence how knowledge translates into behaviour, highlighting the importance of educational programmes that also aim to strengthen positive attitudes. Moreover, the environmental and contextual factors are also reported to have significant effects on the display of behaviours. The findings of this study are compatible with the findings of this literature. The study showed that the majority of the participants (91.2%) adopted a positive attitude towards food safety, and the mean score of food safety attitude scale was 50.36\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.63. The high rate of positive attitudes observed may reflect a potential for education and awareness-raising efforts to further support food safety practices. However, no statistically significant difference was found between attitude scores and educational status and income level. The similarity in attitude scores across educational status suggests that positive attitudes toward food safety are not limited to individuals with higher education. As indicated by Taha et al., (2024), this suggests that the sense of responsibility and determination might depend not only on the knowledge status but also on individual commitment and awareness (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificant differences were found between occupational groups in the internalization subscale, which may suggest that contextual or experiential factors play a role; however, no significant difference was observed in the caring about subscale.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA weak but significant and negative correlation was found between the age variable and attitude scores (r=-0.139, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). This finding indicates that there may be a slight drop in the scores of food safety attitude as age increases. This may suggest that environmental and contextual factors, such as habits and behavioural patterns, could influence attitudes across different age groups, highlighting the importance of regularly updating food safety knowledge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile pregnant women show a willingness to adopt safe food practices, evidence suggests that their behaviours do not always align with their attitudes. The results suggest that food safety education could benefit from being more inclusive and focused on specific behavioural risks. While these studies have emphasised the importance of food safety knowledge among pregnant women, they also identify significant gaps and challenges. The diversity in knowledge and practices in different regions underlines the need for culturally and contextually appropriate educational interventions. Strengthening the role of healthcare professionals in disseminating food safety information may contribute to improved awareness and practices among pregnant women. This study is consistent with the literature that highlights the complex relationship between knowledge, attitude, and behaviour, and it suggests that holistic approaches involving individual responsibility, professional experience, and environmental factors may be beneficial. Educational and training programmes may benefit from incorporating not only knowledge transfer but also strategies to strengthen attitudes, personal responsibility, and environmental support mechanisms.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study found that pregnant women tended to report positive attitudes and behaviours toward food safety. Most participants reported generally positive attitudes, although knowledge gaps were observed in certain areas. Despite a general status of knowledge, the participants showed limited awareness regarding specific practices such as boiling raw milk for an appropriate duration, proper thawing methods, and foodborne pathogens like \u003cem\u003eSalmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eBrucella\u003c/em\u003e. There appear to be knowledge gaps and possible misconceptions regarding the use of herbal supplements during pregnancy. Some participants perceived herbal supplements as harmless, indicating a need to raise awareness about the importance of using only evidence-based and safe products during pregnancy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA negative association was observed between age and attitude scores.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of the multiple regression analysis indicated that educational status is a significant predictor of food safety attitudes among pregnant women. Therefore, educational interventions focusing on individuals with lower education status could help support more positive food safety attitudes. On the other hand, a difference was found between occupational groups in the internalization subscale.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough food safety practices were generally reported to be favourable, certain risky behaviours were still present, possibly due to knowledge gaps. While previous studies have highlighted the importance of food safety knowledge among pregnant women, they also suggest that certain knowledge gaps and practical challenges may exist. The diversity in knowledge and practices across regions suggests that culturally and contextually tailored educational interventions may be beneficial. Enhancing the role of healthcare professionals as reliable sources of information may help improve food safety awareness and practices during pregnancy. Findings indicate that educational efforts focusing on basic food safety could be beneficial for pregnant women. Educational interventions may benefit from including content on the appropriate boiling time of raw milk, safe thawing methods, and awareness of risky microorganisms It is important to disseminate accurate and comprehensible information to help reduce incorrect food safety practices. Considering that physicians are often the primary source of information for pregnant women, offering updated and comprehensive food safety training to healthcare professionals may enhance their ability to provide accurate guidance. It may be beneficial to encourage healthcare professionals to provide food safety guidance when interacting with pregnant women in appropriate healthcare settings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on the identified knowledge gaps, public health centres and local health institutions may consider developing campaigns and educational materials on food safety and hygiene. Topics such as microbiological risks, the use of herbal supplements, and pregnancy-specific food safety issues could be addressed. Additionally, organising free and accessible training sessions for low-income women may support more equitable access to information.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConclusively, pregnant women's attitudes and behaviours regarding food safety appear to be influenced by their status of knowledge, perceptions, and access to information. Although many express concern about food safety, existing studies and this research suggest that there may be gaps in knowledge and practices, especially regarding specific recommendations and foodborne risks. These findings point to the potential value of tailored educational interventions to support improved food safety behaviours among vulnerable populations. Therefore, considering the relatively limited sample size, future studies may consider examining the effects of variables such as educational status, income, age, and occupation on food safety behaviours in greater depth.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionList\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eSPSS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Package for the Social Sciences\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eCA (α)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCronbach\u0026rsquo;s Alpha\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eWHO\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWorld Health Organization\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eTV\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTelevision\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003ee.g.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExempli gratia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the ethical eligibility of the study, ethics committee approval was obtained from the Ethical Principles and Ethics Committee of the ...................... University (2024/02-15 and E.5205), and institutional permission was obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health under Bitlis Governorship (E-39320161-602.01.0.-234398851). Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and all participants were informed about the aim, process, and confidentiality of the study before providing written consent. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The researcher collected the data from volunteer subjects through face-to-face interview technique.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and material\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are not available publicly to protect the confidentiality of the participants but can be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEAK designed the research protocol, acted as an advisor for the research, and drafted the article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMV designed the research protocol, conducted the research, and completed the study as a master\u0026rsquo;s thesis.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll authors reviewed the article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe thank the participants who answered the survey questions honestly during data collection stage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article is derived from a unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis titled \u0026ldquo;Determining Pregnant Women\u0026rsquo;s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours Regarding Food Safety: The Case of Bitlis Province.\u0026rdquo; The results of the study have not been previously published anywhere else. Since we promised the participants that their information would not be shared and the data would only be used for scientific purposes while conducting the current study, it is not publicly available. Therefore, the data obtained for this study will not be shared due to \u0026ldquo;protection of personal data\u0026rdquo;. Collective consent of the participants is required for sharing. However, all data generated or analysed during this study are already included in article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the preparation and writing of this article, the authors did not use any artificial intelligence-based applications.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVit\u0026oacute;ria P, et al. Health literacy and adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors in pregnancy. 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J Food Sci Technol. 2023 Apr;60(4):1294-1302.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEllinda-Patra MW, Dewanti-Hariyadi R, Nurtama B. Modeling of food safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior characteristics. Food Research. 2020;4(4):1045-1052.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTaha S, Angor M, Al-Marazeeq KM, Osaili TM, Albloush A, et al. Improving food safety compliance of potential employees through a novel model of knowledge, attitude, commitment, and practice. J Food Sci. 2024 Dec;89(12):10222-10238.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pregnancy, Food safety, Hygiene, Attitude, Behaviour","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess pregnant women\u0026rsquo;s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding food safety. It included 216 pregnant women (mean age: 28.5 years) who participated voluntarily. When consuming raw milk, 66.7% boiled it, typically for 10\u0026ndash;15 minutes (40.8%). Common thawing methods were the kitchen counter (39.5%) and the refrigerator (33.0%). A total of 84.6% knew that refreezing thawed food is unsafe. Higher education was significantly associated with safer behaviours, such as using paper towels, refrigerating food within 2 hours, and checking expiry dates (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002). The mean attitude score was 50.36\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.63, and 91.2% showed a positive attitude. A weak but significant negative correlation was found between age and attitude scores (r = -0.139, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that educational status significantly predicted food safety attitudes, while age did not. In general, food safety practices appeared appropriate, though some risky behaviours persisted due to knowledge gaps. Previous studies have emphasised the importance of food safety awareness among pregnant women while also identifying regional disparities. These findings highlight the potential value of culturally and contextually adapted educational programmes. Addressing basic knowledge deficiencies through targeted training may help improve food safety behaviours.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Pregnant Women’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours on Food Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-02 07:59:07","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7124395/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"ad94cdcf-685a-41c8-a24f-26bb82955959","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 2nd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-13T10:23:51+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-02 07:59:07","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7124395","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7124395","identity":"rs-7124395","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}