The proliferation of digital technologies offers innovative avenues for public health education. This study evaluates the usability of FOODAlyzer©, a web-based application designed to enhance food safety awareness among Generation Z university students in Peninsular Malaysia. Using a mixed-methods approach, researchers collected data from 419 Gen Z students via online questionnaires. The study comprehensively assessed the app’s effectiveness in improving knowledge, attitudes, and risk perception regarding food poisoning prevention. The results demonstrated significant positive outcomes. Majority of respondents (94.8%) acknowledged FOODAlyzer© utility in selecting quality food premises. The app demonstrated strong performance across key usability metrics, with participants reporting high levels of interactivity, accessibility, and ease of learning. Notably, 89.7% of respondents expressed intentions to utilize the app before ordering food, and 90.6% would recommend it to others. While the app demonstrated strong potential, user feedback revealed critical areas for improvement, which were categorized into two main themes: Technical enhancements and food safety education advancements. Key findings highlighted five technical improvement themes. Users called for greater accessibility and inclusivity, including multilingual support, a dedicated mobile app, and features accommodating diverse age groups. Suggestions for interface design focused on improving icon clarity, tooltip implementation, and visual readability. To boost engagement, users recommended an interactive experience with embedded multimedia, peer review systems, and instant feedback mechanisms. Enhancements in functionality, such as a more reliable system and streamlined login process, were also prioritized. Finally, users proposed interconnectedness with external services and government platforms to extend its reach and credibility. Regarding food safety education, three key themes emerge. Users suggested enhancing educational content with clearer criteria to educate both consumers and premise owners. Incorporating reward-based motivation through gamification, quizzes, and promotional incentives was recommended to encourage consistent use. Finally, users emphasized the need for clearer evaluation tools, advocating for simplified question formats, intuitive scales and reduced questionnaire length to minimize user fatigue and improve accuracy. This research provides a user-centered roadmap for developing effective digital public health tools. By addressing these identified limitations and incorporating stakeholder feedback, FOODAlyzer© can be optimized to better serve as a model for future digital interventions aimed at improving food safety practices among young adults and the broader community.

Foodborne disease related to commercial eateries remains a major concern in food safety control programs worldwide. This study aimed to assess the impact of the FOODAlyzer© as a web-based food safety education system on the knowledge, attitude, and perception of selecting commercial eateries among students of non-health-related courses in higher educational institutions in Peninsular Malaysia. The interventional study design was used as follows: the intervention group (n = 59) was compared with the control group (n = 59) in the pre-test (before the intervention), post-test (immediately after the intervention), and follow-up post-test (two weeks later). Baseline data showed that both the intervention and control groups had no significant difference in knowledge score, attitude, and perception. The intervention group achieved a higher knowledge score (p = 0.022) and attitude score (p < 0.0001), indicating a significant impact of food safety education in the FOODAlyzer© compared with the control group. The test of within-subjects showed a significant increase in respondents’ scores on knowledge, attitude, and perception. By contrast, the test of between-subjects found that the intervention group achieved a higher knowledge score (p = 0.022) and attitude score (p < 0.0001), which indicates a significant impact of food safety education compared with the control group. The findings suggest that knowledge and attitude in selecting commercial eateries based on food safety criteria among the students remained lacking. This paper presents the impact of food safety education to empower consumers towards the selection of commercial eateries and thus reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Food safety is an important indicator of public health, as foodborne illnesses continue to cause productivity and economic loss. In recent years, web-based applications have been extensively used by the online users’ population. Almost one third (28.3%) of online users found web-based application to be a notable source of food safety information. The objective of the current review is to determine the effectiveness of a web-based application systems as a health promotion tool for consumers to increase their knowledge and awareness of food safety. A systematic literature review was conducted by analyzing 11 selected web-based food safety education-related articles. The studies were categorized into several themes: (1) web-based applications used in accessing food safety information; (2) food safety evaluation and perception among consumers; (3) beliefs and level of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of consumers; and (4) impact and contribution of social media use. A diverse number of online applications have been utilized to promote food safety education among consumers, yet these web-based applications need to be improved with regards to social connection and integration among consumers. KAP surveys were conducted on the majority of the respondents with a particular focus on their knowledge level. Findings show that web-based applications may act as an alternative to the traditional media in enhancing food safety education among consumers, especially youths who are tech-savvy.