Examining food safety knowledge and the microbiological quality of school meals in Ghana

Melody Enyonam Appietu,Eric Francis Amuquandoh

doi:10.47963/ajthm.v2i1.143

Melody Enyonam Appietu, Eric Francis Amuquandoh

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.47963/ajthm.v2i1.143

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Abstract

Food safety studies have received much empirical investigation; however, limited studies regarding food safety and the microbiological quality of meals in boarding senior high schools exist. This study examined the food safety knowledge, the microbiological quality of school meals, as well as the barriers to food safety practices among food handlers in boarding senior high schools (SHS) in the Volta Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study, using questionnaires to collect data from 97 food handlers in five boarding senior high schools in Volta Region, Ghana. A total of sixty samples of four cooked foods were collected and subjected to laboratory analysis. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Results of the study revealed that respondents had good food safety knowledge. The laboratory results revealed the presence of rod and cocci shaped bacteria, where some of these isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp., and Bacillus cereus which are possible pathogens. The barriers to food safety practices revealed inadequate provision of equipment and irregular water supply. Findings of this study have implication for stakeholders involved in the management of SHS. Administrators of SHSs must design and implement food hygiene training and sanitation programmes for food handlers in schools. Also, more stringent supervision during food preparation processes is recommended.

Highlights

Food is an important basic necessity in the human development process, as its procurement, preparation, and consumption are vital for the sustenance of life (Daniyan & Nwokwu, 2011)
This study which examined the food safety knowledge, microbial quality of school meals, and the barriers to safe food practices among food handlers in boarding senior high schools in Ghana concludes that a gap still remains between the knowledge and practices of food safety
It further concludes that pathogenic bacteria can exist in cooked foods, even though they may physically appear to be quite wholesome

Summary

Introduction

Food is an important basic necessity in the human development process, as its procurement, preparation, and consumption are vital for the sustenance of life (Daniyan & Nwokwu, 2011). Food handlers in hospitality operations play a major role in promoting and preventing food contamination (WHO, 1989 cited in Omemu & Aderoju, 2008). They carry foodborne pathogens in their hands, cuts or sores, mouth, skin, and hair (Adams & Moss, 2008) and gradually transfer them onto foods during preparation because they neglect and take for granted certain basic rules of safe hygiene practices, which eventually leads to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Reports from the United States of America (USA) indicate that an estimated figure of 48 million foodborne illnesses is recorded annually, out of which 128,000 result in hospitalizations and 3,000 result in the death of Appietu Enyonam Melody, Amuquandoh Francis Eric victims (CDC, 2011). Data from Ireland indicated that approximately 50% of all foodborne illnesses were traced to the food eaten in catering establishments (WHO, 2000)

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