QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOOD SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH VENDOR PRACTICES IN GHANA Público
Amoah, Walter (Fall 2023)
Published
Abstract
It is scientifically well-established that foodborne illnesses are associated with unsafe food processing, storage, handling, and preparation (fsis.usda.gov, 2022). Globally, the food industry recognizes that food safety management practices comprise HACCP [Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points], safe product design, prerequisite programs [PRPs] (Wallace, 2014), and SSOP [Sanitation Standards Operating Procedures]. The aim of our pilot study was to analyze food safety hazards associated with traditional food vendor practices. We hypothesized that most food vendors did not practice food safety management, resulting in food safety hazards. Out of 20 volunteers recruited by word of mouth at the Kajetia New Market in Kumasi, Ghana, 12 vendors were randomly chosen to respond to a set of quantitative questionnaires, crafted to cover aspects of food safety management practices by food vendors. Ten participants inside the market, in Kumasi and two other vendors for palm wine and cocoa beans, responded to our survey questionnaires on handling fermented products [n1=4], sun-dried products [n2=2], smoked products [n3=3], roasted and salted products [n4=1], salted fresh meat [n5=1], and salted and sun-dried fish [n6=1]. Survey responses were organized into tables [refer to appendix] for quantitative analysis of food safety hazards. Most vendors received fresh stock every two weeks. Smoked, salted, and sundried products usually had a shelf-life of six to twelve months. Unwholesome products were identified by organoleptic means, mastered through years of traditional practices. All meat items were exposed to the environment, but maize and cassava products were protected by plastic coverings. We noticed several food handling practices that fell short of modern and universally acceptable good food safety management practices. These setbacks were mainly because most of these vendors lacked the knowledge and skills needed to identify and be proactive in preventing potential food safety hazards. A gradual introduction of the rudiments of modern food safety management systems to the vendors in these economies could improve food safety. Evaluating food safety practices at the level of food vendors in Ghana will help improve food handling practices and provide some guidelines for local health authorities and policymakers to enhance food safety and ultimately reduce foodborne illnesses.
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1
Background 1,2
Some Current Knowledge on Safe Food Handling 2,3
Food Safety Management Principles 3,4,5
Selected Food Safety Principles (Table 1.1) 5
Chapter 2: METHODOLOGY .6
Recruitment of Vendors 6,7,8
Selected Traditionally Preserved Foods (Figure 2.1) .7
Grouping Survey Responses .8,9
Chapter 3: RESULTS 9
Survey Responses .9,10,11
Investigator Observations .11,12
Vendor Displayed Products .13
Vendor Showcased Food Items (Figures 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5) .12,13,14
Identifying Food Safety Hazards (Table 3.1, Figures 3.6, 3.7) .15,16,17
Chapter 4: DISCUSSIONS .18
Analysis of Results .18,19,20
Chapter 5: RECOMMENDATIONS .20
Packaging, Touching Products, Lot Tracking, & Product Temperature Monitoring .20,21
Chapter 6: CONCLUSION .21
REFERENCES .22,23,24,25,26,27
APPENDIX A .28,29,30,31
APPENDIX B .32,33,34,35,36,37
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