Food safety, hygiene practices and its associated factors among meat handlers in abattoirs in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria.
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Date
2023
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Department of Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Abstract
The knowledge, attitudes, and hygienic practices of meat handlers in relation to food safety were assessed in this study. Additionally, research evaluated the relationship between meat handlers' knowledge, attitudes, and sanitary practices in Ilorin's abattoirs. The study investigated the roles and accomplishments of abattoir regulators as well as factors influencing meat handlers' cleanliness practices. This is done in an effort to give information that could be helpful in creating thorough training materials on food safety and hygiene procedures.
The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study that collected data using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. 254 adults in total were hired through a proportionate distribution of meat handlers among the 3 LGAs. Each LGA (Ilorin-South, Ilorin-West, and Ilorin-East)'s registered abattoirs (14 in Ilorin-South, 10 in Ilorin-East, and 12 in Ilorin-West) were all utilised. Each abattoir's eligible meat handlers were chosen using a straightforward random sampling procedure (table of random numbers). The information was gathered using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. Twelve abattoir regulators (six head of abattoirs) and (six inspectors) were interviewed as key informants to evaluate their responsibilities and effectiveness. Knowledge, attitudes, and hygiene habits related to food safety were all scored and categorized as either good or bad. Quantitative data were assessed using IBM's Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS), version 25. The p<0.05 significance cutoff was established. The qualitative data were analyzed using Atlasti version 8.
The meat handlers' average age was 39.87 + 6.16. About 96.1% of the attitude of meat handlers toward food safety was favorable, 98.4% had high awareness of food safety, and 35.8% practiced appropriate hygiene. The mindset toward following good cleanliness and food safety procedures did not have a statistically significant connection, though (x =2.269, p = 0.132) and understanding of good hygiene and food safety practices (x =5.812, p = 0.016). Education level and ethnicity were the characteristics that substantially influenced hygiene habits (2 =10.642 and p=0.014, respectively). University-educated meat handlers were three times as likely than their less educated colleagues to maintain good hygiene after correcting for covariates using binary logistic regression analysis (OR = 3.11, CI = 2.18 - 165.45, p = 0.008). Compared to Hausa meat handlers, Yoruba meat handlers were five times more likely to practice appropriate cleanliness (OR = 5.07, CI = 1.48-17.32, p = 0.010). In a key informant interview, abattoir regulators described their responsibilities as including ante-mortem inspection, post-mortem inspection, training of meat handlers, monitoring and regulating operations such meat processing, meat storage and use, and equipment maintenance.
The survey found that respondents' attitudes and knowledge of food safety were positive, but their cleanliness habits were subpar.
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xv, 97p
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Citation
Aloko, S.O. (2023). Food safety, hygiene practices and its associated factors among meat handlers in abattoirs in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. Department of Community Health, Fcaulty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University.