Value Chain Hygiene Practices and Microbial Contamination of Street and Market Vended Ready-to- Eat grasshopper, Ruspolia differens in Uganda: Implications for food safety and public health
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Square
Abstract
Food safety is a major public health issue, particularly in developing countries. Ready-to-eat street-vended
foods contribute to daily dietary life, but with elevated food safety burden. Here, hygiene and food safety
practices as well as the microbial contamination in Uganda's edible grasshopper value chain was evaluated.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study with both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A face-toface
administered questionnaire and observational checklists were used to collect data. A total of 29
households (Kampala; 12 and Masaka; 17) participated, and grasshopper samples collected along the value
chain. Indicator pathogens were analysed using standard microbiological methods.
Results
Sociodemographic characteristics reveal that two-thirds of households in Kampala and 53% in Masaka were
female headed. In Kampala and Masaka, respectively, 50% and 12% of households had earth or sand floors. All
households in Kampala were one or two-roomed dwellings with no separate room as a kitchen, and shared a
toilet compared to 43%, 65% and 53%, respectively, in Masaka. 83% households in Kampala and 56% in
Masaka obtained drinking water from public taps. Handwashing was inadequate and none of the actors was
observed to wash their hands after taking a break or handling waste. Only 8.3% respondents had raised racks
for drying utensils. For vendors, wearing protective clothing was not common, with only 28.5% in Kampala and
30.8% in Masaka wearing an apron. Containers for vending grasshoppers were largely uncovered and the
utensils (spoon or cup) for measuring the grasshoppers were left mainly uncovered during the observation
period. Indicator organisms, E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium, were detected. E. coli was the most common
contaminant, but with lower levels in Masaka compared to Kampala. Salmonella typhimurium was mainly a
burden in Kampala.
Conclusions
Our findings demonstrate that there are enormous contributors to poor hygiene and sanitation along the value
chain. The existence of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli in ready-to-eat foods imply that their consumption
pose a health risk. There is an urgent need to create awareness among the actors,through regular trainings on
food safety and personal hygiene practices in food handling and inspection to prevent foodborne disease
Description
Keywords
Street foods, Edible grasshopper, Edible bush cricket, Sanitation
Citation
Rutaro, K., Hawumba, J., Nakimuli, J., Mulindwa, J., Malinga, G. M., & Baingana, R. (2022). Value Chain Hygiene Practices and Microbial Contamination of Street and Market Vended Ready-to-Eat grasshopper, Ruspolia differens in Uganda: Implications for food safety and public health. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2275593/v1