Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Food is susceptible to contamination taking the food chain into consideration. In Ghana, food products are mostly purchased in an open market where people can display their bargaining skills therefore meat and other animal products are hardly bought from well designed and state-of-the-art outlet. Meat is improperly handled and is exposed to all forms of hazards which may pose health threat to the consumer. Food safety practices is of great concern to public health.
OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to assess the knowledge on food safety practices among raw meat handlers, assess the practices on food safety among raw meat handlers and to determine the relationship between knowledge and practice among the study groups.
METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional method and a population census was used for this study. 200 slaughter house workers and butchery workers were used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and analysed using STATA 15.0 version software.
RESULTS: Knowledge of food safety among raw meat handlers was 3% with a p-value of 0.352. Among the factors associated with food safety practices, personal hygiene practices (p<0.001), age (31 – 45 years; p=0.014), those with education (secondary level of education; p=0.002), owners of a meat shop (p= 0.015) and working experience (10 years and above p<0.001) were shown to be significant.
CONCLUSION: Environmental health officers in both municipalities should organize food safety training and educate raw meat handlers on the importance of food safety and its consequences.
