Human Reliability in Food Safety: A Systematic Review of KAP Interventions

Food safety is a critical aspect of system integrity in the food industry. The operational performance of these systems depends primarily on human behavior. Workers' motivation, risk perception, and knowledge directly shape safety actions. Consequently, this systematic review investigates the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of food handlers. These individuals represent the fundamental human component in the safety chain, where human error can lead to significant public health risks and economic losses. This research analyzed 31 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024. The reviewed studies cover diverse operational environments, such as industrial food production, healthcare facilities, universities, hotels, and catering services. The findings reveal a predominant trend regarding "knowledge-practice gap". Most interventions successfully improve theoretical knowledge. However, the transition to reliable safety practices and positive attitudes remains a major challenge. Key human-related risk factors include poor hygiene practices, improper thawing techniques, and inadequate compliance with protocols. These factors directly impact the reliability of the food safety system. The overall results underscore the necessity of moving from the passive learning of rules toward active involvement and ongoing supervision to ensure human reliability. The current study provides evidence-based insights for future training programs that prioritize human factors as core elements of risk management. Furthermore, the findings highlight critical safety gaps and behavioral failures in both large-scale industrial production and small-and medium-sized enterprises. This approach ensures that human performance aligns with high-reliability standards.

Keywords: Food safety, systematic review, training interventions, human reliability, food handlers, hygiene practices.