Assessing the Self-Reported Level of Food Hygiene Knowledge and Practices Among Cookery Teachers in Northern Philippines

Background: In the Philippine basic education system, particularly in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) Cookery classes, teachers are at the forefront of promoting proper food hygiene. However, systemic challenges such as the absence of standardized policies, outdated training, and lack of resources hinder their effectiveness. To address this gap, this study aimed to assess the food hygiene knowledge and practices of cookery teachers and provides localized evidence to address the lack of division-level hygiene policies. Methods: A descriptive research design supported by qualitative interviews was employed. In total, 69 junior and senior high school cookery teachers from three school divisions in Ilocos Norte participated. A researcher-made survey questionnaire and an interview guide were used to gather data, which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Participant testimonies were integrated to enrich the quantitative findings. Results showed high levels of food hygiene knowledge (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow><mo>¯</mo></mover><mo>=</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> 3.48; Highly Competent) and practices (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow><mo>¯</mo></mover><mo>=</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> 3.80; Highly Competent). Despite these strengths, notable gaps were identified in technical areas such as temperature control, cold storage, and specific aspects of personal hygiene. Conclusions: Interviews highlighted the need for a formal institutional hygiene policy to support teachers’ implementation of safe food-handling practices. All computed <i>p</i>-values were below 0.01, indicating significant correlations between demographic variables and both knowledge and practices. The correlation values ranged from r = 0.039 to r = 0.342, suggesting weak to moderate positive relationships and indicating that hygiene behaviors are influenced by multiple factors rather than demographics alone. Based on the findings, the study recommends institutionalizing the proposed policy brief, providing adequate resources, and implementing continuous professional development for Cookery teachers. The study’s scope is limited to Northern Philippines.