AWARENESS OF MUSLIM CONSUMERS TOWARDS FOOD SAFETY OF HOME-BASED PRODUCERS DURING PANDEMIC COVID-19 AT BANDAR BARU BANGI, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

The COVID-19 Pandemic that happened in our country and worldwide caused an increase in the number of home-based food producers and operators for the local consumers where the food is been marketed directly or online. This phenomenon fairly gives impacts the important aspect of food safety that is crucial for customers’ health and able to avoid any foodborne deceased which can bring fatal to man health. The food preparation practice that does not keep the hygiene and quality during the food production process will cause the food to be contaminated and thus not safe for consumption. Besides, the food producer does not understand the requirements specified in the regulated law such as Food Act 1983 that need to have complied. Thus, this study aimed to examine the awareness level among Muslim consumers towards the practices of food safety, hygiene, and quality from the preparation and production, and sale of the food that has been conducted among home-based producers and operators. This study adopted a quantitative method where the data is collected from a survey online using Google Forms. The respondents are randomly selected from customers aged above 18 who stay in the area of Bandar Baru Bangi. The data is analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis by using Statistical Package for The Social Science (SPPS) tool version 21. This study shows that the awareness and knowledge of consumers towards the safety, quality, and hygiene of food is likely high. Thus, this study would like to recommend that the safe food practice should be taken seriously by the government and the food operator on the other hand should have indefinite integrity in the business conducted by putting the customer's health as a priority in dealing with the food provided. Keywords: Awareness, Covid-19 Pandemic, Food Safety, Halal, and Tayyi