Hygiene Practices among Uncooked Vegetable and Fruit Sellers at Ashaiman Central Market In the Ashaiman Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Food hygiene comprises the conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety of food from production to consumption. It is difficult to find anyone who has not experienced an appalling moment of foodborne illness at least once in the past year. In developing countries, foodborne illness tends to increase due to the rise in the poor handling of uncooked foods like vegetables and fruits. Markets serve as main sources of food, and contamination may occur during the handling process impacting on food safety. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the major hygiene practices and other related factors among uncooked vegetable and fruit sellers at Ashaiman Central Market. Methods: The design was a descriptive cross-sectional study employing quantitative approach to data collection. A total of 370 uncooked vegetable and fruit sellers were interviewed from Ashaiman Central market during June 1st,2020 to June 30th,2020. Respondents were selected using simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from the vegetable and fruit sellers. The assembled data were analyzed using Stata version 15 involving the use of frequency distribution tables, Chi-square test and logistic regression to show the association between the hygiene practices and independent variables. A significance level of 5% was used for the research. Results: The findings of the study indicated that nearly sixty five percent of vegetable and fruit sellers practiced good hygiene (denoting very often and always), whereas about half (48.4%) had adequate knowledge (p=48.4%;95% CI=43.2%- 53.6%) of good hygiene practices. Respondents who sold fruits had significantly 53% reduction in their odds of practicing good hygiene as compared to those who sold vegetables. Being female (aOR = 24.31; 95% CI = 3.12 – 189.15; p = 0.002) , type of uncooked/raw foodstuff sold aOR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.25 – 0.88; p = 0.018)., mode of preservation of fruits and vegetables(aOR = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.14 – 0.56; p < 0.001) and lack of constant water supply at selling point (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.34 – 0.95; p = 0.032) were significant predictors of good hygiene practices among the vendors. Conclusion: Sixty five percent of vegetable and fruit sellers practiced good hygiene with nearly half of them having adequate knowledge of good hygiene practices. Gender, type of uncooked/raw foodstuff sold, mode of preservation of vegetables and fruits and water supply at selling points were factors associated with hygiene practices among the vegetable and fruit vendors. Recommendations: The study found that vegetable and fruit sellers at the Ashaiman central market generally practiced good hygiene. That notwithstanding, vegetable and fruit handling practices by these market women prevail mostly unsafe presenting potential health problems. The Ashaiman Municipal Assembly must embark on effective routine food inspection, continuous supervision of the cleanliness of the market and sustained food hygiene education which are critical in promoting food hygiene.