Food safety, Meat handlers, Microbial contamination, Hygiene practices, Slaughterhouses, Public health, Agriculture (General), S1-972, Nutrition. Foods and food supply, TX341-641

Poor hygiene and limited food safety awareness among meat handlers contribute significantly to foodborne diseases in Bangladesh. This study assessed the microbiological quality of raw meat in slaughterhouses across Gopalganj district and evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of meat handlers. A cross-sectional survey of 60 meat handlers from 20 slaughterhouses was conducted between February and October 2024 using structured questionnaires, and 100 raw meat samples underwent microbiological analysis for Total Staphylococcus aureus Count (TSAC), Total Viable Count (TVC), and Total E. coli Count (TEC).Findings revealed that only 28.3 % of handlers had adequate food safety knowledge (mean score: 8.12 ± 3.03 out of 20). Positive attitudes were observed in 88.3 % (mean score: 46.19 ± 8.28 out of 75), but only 30 % exhibited good hygiene practices (mean score: 25.63 ± 8.9 out of 75). Education level was significantly associated with food safety practices (p = 0.021), while other demographic factors showed no significant associations with KAP. Significant positive correlations (p