Environmental Health Literacy and Fungal Risk Prevention in Thailand: Implications for Food Safety and Indoor Air Quality Policy
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Fungal contamination in food and air is a growing public health concern due to exposure risks from mycotoxins and airborne spores that can cause respiratory illnesses and allergic reactions. In Thailand’s tropical and humid climate, the widespread use of air-conditioning and improper food storage further elevate fungal exposure risks. However, evidence on public awareness and preventive behaviors related to fungal contamination remains limited. This study aimed to assess awareness, attitudes, and preventive behaviors toward fungal contamination in food and air among Thai adults aged 15–60 years, and to identify key predictors influencing preventive behaviors. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 411 Thai adults nationwide using an online questionnaire distributed from August to September, 2025. The instrument covered demographics, awareness, attitudes, and preventive practices. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression to identify predictors of preventive behavior. The results showed that most respondents demonstrated good levels of awareness (69.83%), positive attitudes (67.88%), and good preventive behaviors (68.86%). Regression analysis identified attitude as the strongest predictor of preventive behavior (β = 0.330, p < 0.01), followed by awareness (β = 0.161, p < 0.01) and age (β = 0.146, p < 0.01). Gender, education, and income were not significant factors. In conclusion, the findings reveal high public awareness and proactive behaviors toward fungal contamination among Thai adults. Positive attitudes play a key role in promoting preventive actions. Strengthening health education programs that focus on both awareness and attitude development can further enhance food safety and environmental hygiene practices in Thailand.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
References
Adeyeye, S. A. O. (2019). Aflatoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in food: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 60(5), 709–721. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30689400/]
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Benedict, K., Chiller, T. M., & Mody, R. K. (2016). Invasive fungal infections acquired from contaminated food or nutritional supplements: A review of the literature. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 13(7), 343–349.
Buaphet, P., et al. (2024). Antifungal air filter coating using endophytic fungal extracts for air quality improvement. Unpublished research manuscript.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations & World Health Organization (FAO/WHO). (2012). Prevention and reduction of food and feed contamination (1st ed.). Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2015). Health behavior: Theory, research, and practice (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
International Commission on Food Mycology (ICFM). (2019). Food- and airborne fungi: Challenges for food safety and supply. International Commission on Food Mycology Conference Proceedings, Freising, Germany.
Kelkar, U., Bal, A. M., & Kulkarni, S. (2005). Fungal contamination of air conditioning units in operating theatres in india. Journal of Hospital Infection, 60(1), 81–84.
Khan, A. A. H., & Karuppayil, S. M. (2012). Fungal pollution of indoor environments and its management. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 19(4), 405–426. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gC7saRS8eHr2SnrXI2oMjXIsV8tYEp0W/view?usp=sharing]
Launiala, A. (2009). How much can a KAP survey tell us about people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices? Some observations from medical anthropology research on malaria in pregnancy in Malawi. Anthropology Matters, 11(1), 1–13.
Liu, Y., Galani Yamdeu, J. H., Gong, Y. Y., & Orfila, C. (2020). A review of postharvest approaches to reduce fungal and mycotoxin contamination of foods. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 19(4), 1521–1560.
Liu, Y., Wang, W., & Zhang, C. (2020). Public awareness and control measures of mycotoxin contamination in food: A global review. Food Control, 118, 107390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107390
Méheust, D., Le Cann, P., Reboux, G., Millon, L., & Gangneux, J.-P. (2013). Indoor fungal contamination: Health risks and measurement methods in hospitals, homes and workplaces. Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 40(3), 248–260.
Méheust, D., Le Cann, P., Reboux, G., Millon, L., & Gangneux, J. P. (2013). Indoor fungal contamination: Health risks and prevention strategies. Revue des Maladies Respiratoires, 30(6), 475–490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmr.2012.09.005
Nucharee, S., et al. (2017). Airborne fungi in classroom and laboratory environments at Khon Kaen University. Unpublished research report.
Rahim, K., Anwar, F., & Mohamad Ghazali, F. (2024). A comprehensive review of mycotoxins: Toxicology, detection, and effective mitigation approaches. Heliyon, 10, e28361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28361
Sánchez-Torres, P. (2024). Emerging alternatives to control fungal contamination. Current Opinion in Food Science, 61, 101255.
Sánchez-Torres, P. (2024). Public awareness and fungal control measures in household environments: Current trends and educational needs. Journal of Environmental Health Research, 34(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jehr.2024.113126
Shiraishi, Y., Harada, K., Maeda, C., Ogino, F., Suzuki, Y., Okada, N., Tomomatsu, K., Sekine, Y., Yanagi, U., Imanishi, T., Oguma, T., & Asano, K. (2023). A method to evaluate and eliminate fungal contamination in household air conditioners. Indoor Air, 2023, e8984619.
Viegas, C., Ramos, C., Almeida, M., Sabino, R., Verissimo, C., & Rosado, L. (2011). Air fungal contamination in ten hospitals’ food units from lisbon. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 152.
