Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The objective of the study was to analyze consumer knowledge about safe handling practices to prevent microbiological contamination in restaurants, verifying its relationship with the socio-demographic variables. Three hundred and fifty adults were interviewed in the city of Campinas, Brazil, using a previously validated knowledge measurement instrument. Socio-demographic information was also collected. Basic descriptive statistics and the means comparison test (t-student and ANOVA) were applied to the data collected using the 18.0 PASW Statistics software. The mean score awarded to the consumers for their knowledge was 4.3 +/- 1.5 (scores from 0 to 10). A comparison of the means showed no significant differences in knowledge between the genders (p = 0.388), age ranges (p = 0.102), income levels (p = 0.087) or with the frequency of eating meals away from home (p = 0.930). Subjects with a higher educational level (p = 0.001) and graduated in the area of health (p < 0.001) had significantly more knowledge than individuals with a low educational level and not graduated in health, respectively. The results reinforced the importance of carrying out educational programs for consumers concerning safe handling practices in restaurants. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.262331336Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [09/52215-5]CNPq [141856/2007-6]