Food Protection Trends - May/June 2023 - 210

TABLE 2. Food allergy knowledge of owners and managers (n = 102) (cont.)
Questions
Which of the following should you do to avoid cross contact?
Cook the allergy-free foods first
Use separate utensils and dishes for making and serving safe foods
Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing allergen-free food
All of the abovea
In Florida, restaurants are required to have allergen-free menu options for customers with food allergies.
Yes
Noa
Don't know
In Florida, all restaurant employees are required to know the most common food allergens.
Yesa
No
Don't know
aCorrect answers to knowledge questions
Cronbach's alpha coefficient for attitude items was 0.72. The
M food allergy attitudes score was 3.55 (SD = 0.45). Attitude
items that had a M score of 4.0 or higher on a 5.0 scale were
" I am confident in my knowledge of food allergens " (4.28 ±
0.63); " It is important to me that all employees working in
my restaurant receive food allergy training " (4.05 ± 0.83);
" Employee compliance with the restaurants' food allergy policies
and procedures are important for public health " (4.00
± 1.25); and " I would be interested in receiving the latest
information about food allergies " (4.00 ± 0.98).
The lowest scoring attitude items were " it is not the responsibility
of my restaurant if a food allergic reaction occurs in
the restaurant " (2.91 ± 1.21); " my restaurant does not have
food allergy policies and procedures for employees because
no food allergy incidents have ever occurred in my restaurant "
(2.84 ± 1.41); and " not all restaurants need to comply
with food allergy policies and procedures " (2.70 ± 1.41).
Demographic differences in attitudes
Chi-square test results were significant χ2
(4) = 23.09, P < 0.001,
suggesting that the type of restaurant and allergen-free menu items
identified in restaurants are related. Chi-square results were not
significant for the type of cuisine and allergen-free menu items in
restaurants χ2
(1) = 1.31, P = 0.252, suggesting observed frequencies
were not significantly different than the expected frequencies.
The chi-square test results were significant on the basis of
an alpha value of 0.05, χ2(4) = 14.72, P = 0.005, suggesting
210 Food Protection Trends May/June
that type of restaurant and written food allergen policies and
procedures are related to one another. The type of cuisine
and written food allergen policies and procedures in restaurants
were independent. The chi-square results were not
significant χ2
cuisine and written food allergen policies and procedures in
restaurants were unrelated.
The ANOVA for attitudes by race were not statistically
significant, F(3, 99) = 0.42, P = 0.739, partial η2
= 0.01,
indicating no significant differences in attitudes between
races. The ANOVA findings for attitudes by education were
statistically significant, F(4, 97) = 4.23, P = 0.003, partial η2
= 0.15, indicating significant differences in attitudes between
education levels. Post hoc Tukey analyses indicated that
attitudes scores for those with a high school degree (M =
3.22, SD = 0.97) were significantly less than those with an
associate degree (M = 3.72, SD = 0.34), bachelor's degree (M
= 3.61, SD = 0.40), and postgraduate degree (M = 3.78, SD
= 0.50). The ANOVA for attitudes and food allergy training
was not statistically significant, F(1, 100) = 2.80, P = 0.097,
partial η2
= 0.03, indicating receiving food allergy training
does not impact attitudes toward food allergies.
DISCUSSION
This study aimed to examine the food allergy knowledge
and attitudes of owners and managers in Metro Orlando, FL.
Females constitute 49% of managers and 56% of supervisors
n
1
5
10
85
10
60
32
59
29
14
%
0.97
4.9
9.8
83.3
9.8
58.9
31.4
57.8
28.4
13.7
(1) = 0.89, P = 0.345, suggesting that the type of
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