Assessment of Environmental Sanitation, Food Safety Knowledge, Handling Practice among Food Handlers of Bukateria Complexes in Iju Town, Akure North of Ondo-State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Food safety has become one of the ten threats to global health in 2019 and the outbreaks of foodborne diseases are major public health problems and had caused approximately 76 million illness, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5000 deaths yearly. However, 20 - 40% of such illness is associated with the consumption of contaminated food where bukateria premises are the most frequently cited sources of sporadic and outbreak foodborne infection including WASH related diseases. The problem is more noticeable in developing countries due to prevailing poor food handling and sanitation practices, tokenistic and inadequate food safety laws, weak regulatory systems, lack of financial resources to invest on safer equipment’s, and lack of education for food handlers. Objectives: This study assesses the environmental sanitation status of complexes in Iju offering public ‘Bukataria’ services, in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, South-West Nigeria. Materials and Method: Purposive sampling technique was used, 36 respondents from 16 bukarias was carried out from April 2013 to May 2013. Total number of bukateria was obtained from environmental health unit of Akure North Local Government. The proprietors and food handlers were selected by lottery method from each selected bukateria. Structured and pretested questionnaire was developed for the purpose of data collection after reviewing relevant literature and views of professionals in the area. Analyses was achieved with frequencies, Chi-square and other summary statistics, to assess food vendors knowledge on hygiene and environmental sanitation practices. Results: Chi-square test (P = 0.1, 0.01) revealed that respondents with higher form of education (about 72%) and catering training (6%) had better knowledge about food hygiene. Results also revealed that while 61% of the food vendors did not use aprons, only about half of those that used (39%) were neat.75% (12 out of 16) of the bukateria had facilities for safe storage of cooked food, while 56% kept neat kitchen and stores. Correspondingly, 31.3% of the bukateria were adequately ventilated while 75% kept neat restaurant. 46% have access to means of adequate sewage disposal. All Bukateria had access to both portable water and adequate refuse disposal system. Rodents (rats) and/or flies were absent in 75% of the bukateria visited. This study will have a significant input, in the formulation of appropriate strategy, to modify and facilitate the overall regulatory activity, for program planning and evaluation by environmental health officer. Conclusion: More needs to be done in the area of supportive supervision training, education, medical screening for food handlers and monitoring in order to further improve the wellbeing of the community. These therefore demonstrate the need for targeted sanitation interventions in our Bukateria in order to address the current inadequate or lack of progress.