Measuring Food Handling Behaviors as a Basis for Predictive Modeling: A Food Safety Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69681/lajae.v8i1.39Keywords:
Sanitary deficiencies, Artificial Intelligence, Predictive modelsAbstract
In traditional markets, the level of food safety largely depends on food handlers, who are responsible for bringing technical knowledge to food practices under appropriate environmental conditions. In this context, an instrument was developed and evaluated to systematically measure food handlers behaviors with respect to good handling practices. Based on the analysis of specialized literature, critical areas and opportunities for improvement were identified. The standardized collection of observational data and the validation of the instrument contribute not only to the diagnosis, but also to the development of predictive models based on artificial intelligence. These models could anticipate health risks, detect patterns associated with foodborne diseases and optimize public health decision-making. The proposed approach allows advancing from the description of the problem to technology-based solutions, offering a model that can be replicated in markets with similar characteristics.
Downloads
References
[1] Wang, K., Mirosa, M., Hou, Y., & Bremer, P. (2025). Advancing food safety behavior with AI: Innovations and opportunities in the food manufacturing sector. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 161, 105050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105050
[2] Zepeda Lugo, C. A., Insfran Rivarola, A. M., & Arévalos Ferreira, A. P. (2024). Impacto de la IA en la Predicción y Detección Oportuna de Enfermedades: Una Revisión Sistemática. Latin American Journal of Applied Engineering, 7(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.69681/lajae.v7i1.35
[3] Peña Kieninger, J., Alonso Alonso, R., Silva Galeano, F., Orué Fernández, D., Cáceres Rojas, R., Guillén Fretes, R., Rodríguez Acosta, F., & Canese Krivoshein, A. (2025). Enterotoxinas en Staphylococcus aureus aislados de manipuladores de alimentos de un mercado público de Asunción, Paraguay. Revista del Nacional (Itauguá), 17(1). https://doi.org/10.18004/rdn2025.e1700110
[4] Insfran, A., & Redondo, E. (2020). Factores de Éxito de Lean Seis Sigma en la Industria Alimentaria. Latin American Journal of Applied Engineering, 3(1), 16–22. https://doi.org/10.69681/lajae.v3i1.15
[5] Insfran-Rivarola, A., Tlapa, D., Limon-Romero, J., Baez-Lopez, Y., Miranda-Ackerman, M., Arredondo-Soto, K., & Ontiveros, S. (2020). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Food Safety and Hygiene Training on Food Handlers. Foods, 9(9), 1169. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9091169
[6] Tuglo, L. S., Agordoh, P. D., Tekpor, D., Pan, Z., Agbanyo, G., & Chu, M. (2021). Food safety knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices of street-cooked food handlers in North Dayi District, Ghana. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 26(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-021-00975-9
[7] Zenbaba, D., Sahiledengle, B., Nugusu, F., Beressa, G., Desta, F., Atlaw, D., & Chattu, V. K. (2022). Food hygiene practices and determinants among food handlers in Ethiopia: A systematic.
[8] Estigarribia, G., Aguilar, G., Ríos, P., Ortíz, A., Martínez, P., & Ríos-González, C. M. (2020). Knowledge, attitudes and practices about good manufacturing practices of food manipulators of Caaguazú, Paraguay. Revista de salud pública del Paraguay, 9(2), 22-28. https://doi.org/10.18004/rspp.2019.diciembre.22-28
[9] Buenas prácticas en mercados tradicionales de alimentos de la Región de las Américas—OPS/OMS | Organización Panamericana de la Salud. (2023, junio 2). https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/buenas-practicas-mercados-tradicionales-alimentos-region-americas
[10] Insfran Rivarola, A., López, Z., Arevalos, A., León, R., & Zepeda Lugo, C. (2024). Caracterización de Design for Six Sigma en Industrias Manufactureras y de Servicios: Una Revisión Sistemática. Latin American Journal of Applied Engineering, 7(1), 15-24. https://doi.org/10.69681/lajae.v7i1.36
[11] Evans, E. W., Bulochova, V., Jayal, A., & Haven-Tang, C. (2023). Attitudes towards using artificial intelligence to determine real-time hand hygiene compliance in the food sector. Food Control, 145, 109439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109439
[12] Zhou, Q., Zhang, H., & Wang, S. (2022). Artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain in food safety. International Journal of Food Engineering, 18(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijfe-2021-0299
[13] Sahni, V., Srivastava, S., & Khan, R. (2021). Modelling Techniques to Improve the Quality of Food Using Artificial Intelligence. Journal of Food Quality, 2021, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/2140010
[14] Jungwirth, D., & Haluza, D. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and Public Health: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4541. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054541
[15] Panch, T., Pearson-Stuttard, J., Greaves, F., & Atun, R. (2019). Artificial intelligence: Opportunities and risks for public health. The Lancet Digital Health, 1(1), e13-e14. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(19)30002-0
[16] Qian, C., Murphy, S. I., Orsi, R. H., & Wiedmann, M. (2023). How Can AI Help Improve Food Safety? Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, 14(1), 517-538. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-060721-013815
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ulises Sanabria Villamayor, Nahir Samudio
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Latin American Journal of Applied Engineering agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
