Annual Research & Review in Biology

Factory hygiene, personnel hygiene, and product handling are the keys to minimizing the risk of foreign particles and microbial contamination in biscuits. The present study aims to first understand the age group of associates working on the production floor and self-assessed knowledge of GHP in different age groups and finally assess GHP practice and specific training needs of associates working in an automated Biscuit manufacturing unit. A survey through a questionnaire has been conducted among 156 associates working on the manufacturing floor in two Automated Biscuit factories located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It is found that the age group of 19 to 42 comprises 90.38% of the workforce. With the increase of age of associates more and more participation in training was observed and their self-assessed knowledge also increased. However, when the actual GHP practice weightage of an age group was compared with the average knowledge grading or training weightage of factory associates of the same age group, no significant correlation was found. Further, most experienced and most trained associates of the age group 50 to 60 did not follow Good Hygiene Practices. Though training is important in enhancing the knowledge and confidence of the associates it may not always bring about the desired level of hygiene practice. Strict supervision, regular monitoring and innovative technique of training are equally important to achieve the required goal. The importance of hygiene in automated lines must invariably be a part of the training curriculum.