Food Hygiene Practices and Environmental Exposure: Microbial Safety Assessment of Foodstuffs Sold at Ngwa Road Market, Aba, Nigeria

Kanu Micheal Iheanyichukwu¹; Ekwem Chibuike Emmanuel²; Nwaokoro Juliet Frank³        :          Literature Review  Materials; Methods

doi:10.56201/rjfsqc.vol.11.no3.2025.pg35.38

Food Hygiene Practices and Environmental Exposure: Microbial Safety Assessment of Foodstuffs Sold at Ngwa Road Market, Aba, Nigeria

Kanu Micheal Iheanyichukwu¹ , Ekwem Chibuike Emmanuel², Nwaokoro Juliet Frank³ : Literature Review Materials and Methods

Abstract

This study evaluates the food hygiene practices and environmental exposure contributing to microbial contamination of foodstuffs sold at Ngwa Road Market, Aba, Nigeria. A total of 50 food samples—including fresh produce and ready-to-eat items—were randomly collected and analyzed for total viable bacterial counts and presence of pathogenic microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus). Concurrently, vendor hygiene practices and environmental factors were assessed using structured questionnaires and observations. Results showed microbial loads exceeding recommended safety limits, with 40%, 22%, and 35% contamination rates for E. coli, Salmonella spp., and S. aureus respectively. Poor hygiene practices and environmental exposure, such as proximity to open drains and waste disposal sites, were significant contributors. The findings highlight critical gaps in food safety at Ngwa Road Market and the urgent need for regulatory enforcement and hygiene education to reduce public health risks.

Keywords

Food hygieneMicrobial contaminationEnvironmental exposureFood safetyNgwa

References

World Health Organization. (2015). WHO estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases. Geneva: WHO Press. Food and Agriculture Organization. (2017). The future of food safety: First FAO/WHO/AU International Food Safety Conference. Olufunke, A. O., & Ayoola, A. M. (2018). Food hygiene practices and microbial load of foods sold in Nigerian markets. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 32(1), 45-52. Onuorah, C. E., & Ogbonna, M. C. (2019). Pathogen prevalence and hygiene practices among street food vendors in southeastern Nigeria. African Health Sciences, 19(3), 2884-2892. Eze, P., Lawani, L. O., & Mba, N. (2021). Environmental determinants of microbial contamination in urban food markets. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 31(4), 412-423. Ojo, T. O., & Adebayo, S. (2017). Microbial safety assessment of street-vended foods in Nigerian metropolitan areas. Journal of Food Safety, 37(4), e12352. Cheesbrough, M. (2010). District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries. Part 2. Cambridge University Press. Prescott, L. M., Harley, J. P., & Klein, D. A. (2005). Microbiology (6th ed.). McGraw Hill. Iwu, A. C., Diwe, K. C., & Duru, C. B. (2016). Knowledge, attitude and practices of food hygiene among food vendors in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine, 4(3), 113-121. Research Journal of Food Science and Quality Control (RJFSQC) E-ISSN 2756-5483 P-ISSN 2695-2459 Vol 11. No. 3 2025 www. Tables Table 1: Microbial contamination levels of foodstuffs sampled at Ngwa Road Market (CFU/g) Food Type Total Viable Count (CFU/g) E. coli (%) Salmonella spp. (%) Fresh vegetables 1.5 x 10^6 45% 20% Fruits 2.3 x 10^5 25% 10% Grains 5.8 x 10^5 30% 30% Ready-to-eat items 8.7 x 10^7 55% 40% Table 2: Vendor hygiene practices and environmental conditions at Ngwa Road Market Practice/Condition Percentage Observed (%) Consistent handwashing 40% Use of gloves/aprons 25% Stalls near open drains 70% Presence of flies/pests 65% Waste accumulation near stalls 80%

Food Hygiene Practices and Environmental Exposure: Microbial Safety Assessment of Foodstuffs Sold at Ngwa Road Market, Aba, Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

References

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