Does Job Role Matter? Food Safety Knowledge and Training Effectiveness Among Food Handlers in Collective Catering

Food safety training is a cornerstone of foodborne disease prevention in collective catering, particularly in settings serving vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess baseline food safety knowledge and evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety training session among food handlers employed in school cafeterias and residential care facilities (RSAs) collective catering. A pre–post design was applied to 168 participants who completed a structured knowledge questionnaire before and after training. At baseline, only 31% of participants achieved a passing score. Knowledge levels were significantly associated with primary job role (p < 0.001): food preparers and managers were more likely to pass compared with food service workers involved mainly in meal distribution. In multivariate analysis, both job role and catering setting remained independently associated with test performance. Following the training session, the proportion of participants passing the test increased to 74% (p < 0.001), and differences between professional categories were reduced. These findings indicate that food safety knowledge in collective catering could vary according to occupational role and organizational context, but can be improved through training. Role-tailored, HACCP-based educational programs could be essential to strengthen compliance and protect vulnerable populations in institutional catering settings.