Search

This study explores into the levels of coliform contamination, prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the hygienic practices in goat meat retail stores. Goat meat from 10 retail stores was analyzed for E. coli , Salmonella , and S. aureus using serological and PCR methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Data on hygienic practices were collected through a structured observational questionnaire. Pearson's correlation analysis was also employed to establish the relationship between hygienic practices and coliform loads. The average coliform loads on goat meat ranged between 0.88–5.04 log10 cfu/g. Our results revealed that 52% of examined goat meat was deemed unacceptable (>3.30 log10 CFU/g). The overall level of good meat handling practices among meat handlers in our study was 45.75%. Further, the study establishes a significant correlation between the level of food safety practices and coliform load. Hence, stores with higher hygienic practice scores exhibited lower coliform loads. The prevalence of S. aureus (44%) in goat meat was significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to E. coli (29%), and Salmonella spp. (20%). E. coli isolates displayed the highest resistance to penicillin (31.2%), Salmonella spp. to oxytetracycline (13.9%), and S. aureus to ampicillin (29.0%). Resistance was observed across selected antibiotic classes, particularly in beta-lactams and tetracyclines, with penicillin (78.5%) and oxytetracycline (64.5%) exhibiting notable resistance. Cephalosporin resistance was noted, with 48.4 and 33.3% of isolates showing resistance to cephalothin and cefpodoxime, respectively. Bacterial isolates also demonstrated resistance to phenicol antibiotics, including chloramphenicol (9.7%) and florfenicol (16.1%), respectively. Approximately 44.1% of bacterial isolates displayed multidrug resistance and MAR index ranged from 0.25 to 0.75. The study's findings reveal heightened levels of coliform contamination, the presence of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria in goat meat, and suboptimal meat handling practices in retail stores. The significance of improving food safety practices in retail settings is emphasized to ensure the safety of goat meat, a matter of increasing importance due to its growing demand globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores into the levels of coliform contamination, prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the hygienic practices in goat meat retail stores. Goat meat from 10 retail stores was analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus using serological and PCR methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Data on hygienic practices were collected through a structured observational questionnaire. Pearson's correlation analysis was also employed to establish the relationship between hygienic practices and coliform loads. The average coliform loads on goat meat ranged between 0.88-5.04 log10 cfu/g. Our results revealed that 52% of examined goat meat was deemed unacceptable (>3.30 log10 CFU/g). The overall level of good meat handling practices among meat handlers in our study was 45.75%. Further, the study establishes a significant correlation between the level of food safety practices and coliform load. Hence, stores with higher hygienic practice scores exhibited lower coliform loads. The prevalence of S. aureus (44%) in goat meat was significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to E. coli (29%), and Salmonella spp. (20%). E. coli isolates displayed the highest resistance to penicillin (31.2%), Salmonella spp. to oxytetracycline (13.9%), and S. aureus to ampicillin (29.0%). Resistance was observed across selected antibiotic classes, particularly in beta-lactams and tetracyclines, with penicillin (78.5%) and oxytetracycline (64.5%) exhibiting notable resistance. Cephalosporin resistance was noted, with 48.4 and 33.3% of isolates showing resistance to cephalothin and cefpodoxime, respectively. Bacterial isolates also demonstrated resistance to phenicol antibiotics, including chloramphenicol (9.7%) and florfenicol (16.1%), respectively. Approximately 44.1% of bacterial isolates displayed multidrug resistance and MAR index ranged from 0.25 to 0.75. The study's findings reveal heightened levels of coliform contamination, the presence of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria in goat meat, and suboptimal meat handling practices in retail stores. The significance of improving food safety practices in retail settings is emphasized to ensure the safety of goat meat, a matter of increasing importance due to its growing demand globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess secondary high school students' knowledge, attitudes, habits, and other aspects related to managing menstrual hygiene. A quantitative descriptive correlational research design was employed for the 294 respondents aged 16-18The main method used to gather data was a modified structured survey questionnaire. SPSS v.26 was used to determine inferential statistics and descriptive statistics aided by MS Excel. The findings revealed that the extent of knowledge had a mean a of 4.31 (SD= 0.61), corresponding to excellent knowledge. While attitude resulted in a mean of 3.89 (SD= 0.63), a positive attitude and hygienic practices resulted in a mean of 4.23 (SD= 0.61), corresponding to very efficient practices. However, a few of them still need better and moderate knowledge and attitude, although there is no poor practice among them. With a given p-value of .031 for knowledge, .042 for attitudes, and .038 for practices. Significant differences in factors affecting menstrual hygiene management in terms of individuals with a p-value of .023, contextual with .044, sociobehavioral with .024, and finally, school infrastructure with .014 < 0.05 which has a significant difference when grouped according to demographic profiles of female students. The unfavorable conditions in which women had to manage their menstrual cycles while attending school underscored the urgent need for urgent infrastructure improvements related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Furthermore, targeted educational interventions should be implemented to address the moderate levels of knowledge and attitudes observed and to ensure that all students have the necessary resources and information to properly manage their menstrual hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Slaughterhouse located at a suburban area of Hyderabad, Sindh, underwent an evaluation of its operational facilities and hygienic standards using a descriptive cross-sectional survey. In addition to conducting observational studies on the facilities and hygienic practices in the slaughterhouse semi-structured questionnaires were given to the personnel, in order to gather the data regarding the skills & training facilities of workers at slaughterhouse. An observational evaluation of abattoir facilities was conducted to get hands on data regarding the size & sitting of slaughterhouse, along with its accessibility to the livestock market or livestock facility within the slaughterhouse. The lack of several facilities including basic appropriate water supply along with lairage, evisceration section, guttery and tripper section, cold room, detained meat section and condemned meat section shows the unhygienic side of slaughterhouse. The majority of the solid waste including bones, horns, and undigested food, were put in sacks and taken outside the slaughterhouse for by-products. Cleaning was done manually using brooms and water waste was supposed to dumped into a drainage system that opened into a local stream. After the animals were slaughtered, all of their blood was directly drained into gutters. Every day, the floors, premises, and slaughter slabs were cleaned, and the wastewater and its effluents were diverted into drainage systems. This research aims to suggest that certain facilities be renovated, that sanitary areas be provided with adequate amenities, and that bins and dumpsites to be provided for appropriate waste disposal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The value chains of tomatoes in Ethiopia are largely informal which may pose potential food safety risks. Value chains (VCs) mapping was carried out with emphasis on tomatoes in two major cities in eastern Ethiopia—Harar and Dire Dawa—which were assessed to identify practices likely to result in unsafe food, considering production, transportation, retail, preparation, and consumption. Methods: Qualitative methods were used to map the VCs to understand the flows, actors, and practices. Group discussions and key informant interviews were performed to better understand the processes, practices, beliefs, and food safety risks in these VCs. Results: The two cities are supplied by two vegetable VCs: the first and larger being from distant producers in central Ethiopia, and the second from surrounding rural and peri-urban producers. The long-distance VCs involve producers, brokers, transporters, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. The local producers, however, bring their fresh products directly to the cities without the involvement of VC actors other than final retailers and consumers. The study suggests microbiological contamination risks along tomato VCs, potentially including soil contamination, use of sewerage-contaminated irrigation water, untreated manure, unhygienic handling and storage conditions, and dirty contact surfaces during transportation and retailing. Tomatoes are mostly harvested by hand picking, collected, and sorted on the ground exposing to sunlight and physical bruising with potential contamination. More importantly, tomatoes are widely consumed raw without “a kill-step” that certainly contributes to foodborne infections. Suggestions by study participants for improving food safety and hygiene include funding toward improved infrastructure and facilities in the sectors, supporting VC actors with improved technology for quality production, and increasing awareness of good and hygienic practices. Consumers were particularly concerned about contamination with agrochemicals without much emphasis on the potential microbial contaminants. Fresh tomatoes are prepared in a variety of ways and are often consumed raw or slightly cooked. Further recommendations included using health extension workers to conduct awareness campaigns on improved food safety and hygienic practices. Conclusion: The qualitative VC mapping generated useful information for designing intervention strategies, especially targeting developing food safety interventions and an awareness communication campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of street food is an important aspect in the field of nutrition security. A cross sectional study was conducted among street food vendors around the medical colleges of Kolkata selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected by interviewing the selected food vendors with the predesigned schedule and observation. Microbiological analyses of food samples selected randomly from seventy five vendors were carried out. Food vendors unwilling or abstaining from the interview could not be selected in this current study. None of the food vendors used head cap or apron or hand gloves during preparation or selling of foods. Only 25.33% of food vendors covered the foods after preparation. Most of the vendors were cleaning their serving utensils in stagnant water of bucket. The continuous re-use of same stagnant water for washing non-disposable utensils led to deposition of food materials on them and this increased the chance of chemical and microbial contamination as well as enhanced the food borne intoxication. Half of the food samples were contaminated with the organisms causing Food Borne Diseases. Significant relationship was found between various hygienic practices and presence ofprobable food borne pathogenic bacteria. Approximately 81% of the food vendors did not have clean nails and nor did they use gloves for food service resulting in increased chances of microbial contamination in the foods. Also, the amount of food vendors using the leftover food of previous day was 44% meaning a significant decrease in food quality due to mixing of leftover foods. So, the hygienic practices of the food vendors around the medical colleges of Kolkata were very poor and foods served were contaminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food hygiene is vital in food safety, and meat is essential to food. On the other hand, different types of meat are consumed worldwide. In addition, food hygiene, knowledge, attitude, and practice can directly influence the quality and marketing of food. This study evaluated meat handlers' knowledge, attitude, and practices in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 meat handlers' food hygiene in Ghazni, Afghanistan. The data were collected through a face-to-face questionnaire. The respondents were selected randomly, and the data were analysed using the IBM SPSS Statistics software version 24. Results: The majority of respondents were middle-aged, 26-35 years (43.4%), most of them were married (83.3%) and had primary education (43.3%). Most respondents did not have health certificates or participate in food safety-related training (96.7%). Most respondents generally had a high level of food safety knowledge and attitude, with a lower score in meat hygiene practices. Conclusions: Lack of food safety and health training by meat handlers can be a risk for the consumer. Therefore, meat handler health certificates, food hygiene attitudes, and practices should be checked by governmental and non-governmental organizations for the health of consumers and better hygienic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon unique to females. However, menstrual practices are surrounded by lots of taboos and myths which lead to adverse health problems. Primitive Groups of Tribes (PGTs) like the Lodha community are one of the most underprivileged communities. The purpose of the study is to understand the perception and practices related to menstrual health and hygiene among Lodha tribes. A cross-sectional study data has been collected randomly from fifty adults Lodha women of reproductive age group (18-49 years) in Jhargram district of West Bengal with the help of a structured interview schedule. The data revealed that the perception of menstruation was very poor among the Lodhas. Menstrual hygienic practices were dissatisfying among those older than younger. Young Lodha females followed more hygienic methods than elders. 66% had the perception that reusable clothes cannot cause any health problems and 88% habituated to using unhygienic reusable clothes. Almost 40% of women did not receive any health service to manage menstrual complications. Effective public health communication along with proper preventive and curative health care services can improve the health perception and behaviour among these PVTGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of traditional hygienic milking practices employed by rural small-scale dairy farmers on the quality of raw milk. While advancements in technology have revolutionized hygienic milk production methods for both small- and large-scale farmers, rural small-scale milk producers, particularly in countries like Zimbabwe, continue to rely heavily on hand milking as their primary method of milk harvesting. To investigate this issue, a convergent parallel mixed research approach was utilized, involving face-to-face interviews with 53 selected rural small-scale dairy farmers using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, frequency, chi-square, and cross-tabulation analyses. The findings revealed that participants aged 50 and above constituted the majority (58.5%) and were more likely to report low income. Additionally, households with 8 to 11 members (38%) and those with no formal education (18.9%) were also more likely to report low income. Several parameters were identified as significantly affecting milk quality (p < 0.05), including hand washing after milking, back leg tying, washing of milking utensils, use of towels, teat dipping, milking when sick, covering of milk, mixing of fresh and old milk, and lack of milk pasteurization before consumption. The study concludes that traditional hygiene practices contribute to milk contamination by rural small-scale dairy farmers, compromising the quality of raw milk. To support these farmers, interventions such as the provision of a dairy extension officer, practical workshops, incentives, entrepreneurial skills training, and farmer-to-farmer visits are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Bakery products are of cereal group and considered as valuable nutritional source in human diet. They provide most of our daily calories. Development of bakeries' establishment is related to local financial capacity and processing techniques. It has led to different types of bread in term of their quality and hygienic status. Same as other countries, bread is staple food in Nigeria. In this study, we aimed to determine microbial contamination of the bread samples prepared and distributed in Wukari, a local government area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Materials and methods: In this study, two types of bread were purchased from five different places in Wukari metropolis. Two retail bakeries were selected for sampling in each place. Analysis was done in microbiology laboratory of the Federal University Wukari. The samples were studied for Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, other Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Streptomyces spp., Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger contamination to investigate the quality of practices during production and distribution. Results and conclusion: Microbial contamination of the bread samples was included to Bacillus subtilis 22.5%, Aspergillus flavus 20%, Aspergillus niger 17.5%, Streptomyces spp. 12.5%, Streptococcus spp. 12.5%, Staphylococcus aureus 7.5%, and other Staphylococcus spp. 7.5%. Our investigation revealed that a variety of bacteria and fungi species were present in the bread samples produced and distributed in Wukari, that make the products susceptible to rapid deterioration, and may lead to organoleptic changes and economic loss. Apparently, there is a need for strict surveillance and monitoring in the retail bakeries located in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mother's knowledge about dietary diversity is the key component for providing a highquality diet to her children. However, there is a dearth of literature to assess a mother's knowledge about dietary diversity and its impact on the nutritional status of children. Therefore, an attempt was made in this study to understand a mother's knowledge on dietary diversity and her hygienic practices on the nutritional status of under-five children. This cross-sectional community based study was conducted in rural West Bengal, India. Data was collected using Android-based ODK data collection tools and analysed using WHO Anthro and SPSS (version 25) software. Frequency distribution, bi-variate cross-tabulation and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. 31% of children found underweight, 41.4% stunted and 17% wasted. About 37% of mothers knew about minimum dietary diversity and 24% used to wash their hands with soap and water before feeding their children. A mother's knowledge on dietary diversity was significantly associated with lower odds of being underweight (AOR:0.34), stunted (AOR:0.49) and wasted (AOR:0.33). Other significant predictors were a mother's educational attainment, knowledge on the symptoms of malnourishment and the habit of handwashing. The findings of this study reinforce the importance of enhancing a mothers' knowledge on child nutrition, dietary diversity and hygienic practices to improve the nutritional status of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk handling practices in the Nigerian informal sector are usually poorly done. This is a threat to food safety and public health. We investigated the common practices by handlers involved in the milk processing and the contamination levels of raw cow milk marketed for consumption in Kwara State, Nigeria. In a cross-sectional survey, a pretested questionnaire (n = 500) was administered to consenting vendors to assess practices employed in milk processing. Raw cattle milk (n = 1225) sold in markets of Kwara State were assessed for contamination using the Total aerobic count (TAC) and Total coliform count (TCC) methods. Data were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The majority of respondents were married (84%), females (65.2%), and had no formal education (43.2%). Some unwholesome practices among vendors such as pooling unsold milk (40.6%), adding unsterilized water to milk (22.2%), and sourcing water from streams (53.2%) were reported. Females (OR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.040, 0.170; p < 0.001) and those with tertiary educational level (OR=0.01, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.041; p < 0.001) were less likely to be associated with unsatisfactory hygienic practices. All TAC and TCC were higher than 5logcfu/ml and higher counts were observed in the dry season. Because of public safety, a high-level hygienic and good milk handling practices – while enlightenment of vendors on standard hygiene, are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meat safety is important for public health. As part of the meat chain abattoirs are required to give attention to meat hygiene and safety in order to minimize hazards. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the bacteriological quality of sheep carcasses, knowledge and hygienic practices of workers in a selected abattoir and to determine the effect level of 2.5% citric acid spray on total coliforms and aerobic bacteria load of raw sheep carcasses surfaces. Methods: A cross-sectional study design with structured questionnaire and observational checklists observation were used. A systematic random sampling technique was employed. A total of 50 sample swabs (25 swabs before citric acid spray and 25 after citric acid spray) were randomly taken from brisket, flank and rump of sheep's carcasses. Swabs were moistened with buffered peptone water (BPW) and samples were taken by rubbing 100 cm2 (10 cm × 10 cm) area delineated by sterile aluminum template. In addition, we administered a structured questionnaire and an observational checklists to assess knowledge and hygienic practices of workers. Bacteriological quality of sheep carcasses were analyzed using the methods described by the US bacteriological analytical manual. Results: The mean count for aerobic bacteria of the sheep carcasses before and after citric acid spray were 7.2log10 CFU/ml and 6.4log10 CFU/ml, respectively. The test results also showed that 21 (84%) and 15 (60%) of the swab samples were positive before and after spraying citric acid, respectively. The mean counts for coliform bacterial of the sheep carcasses before and after citric acid spray were 3.5log10 CFU/ml and 2.9log10 CFU/ml, respectively. The mean total aerobic and coliform counts before and after citric acid spray were significantly different (P <.05). Regarding the hygiene condition of workers, all the respondents reported that they always washed their hands with soap before and after entering the slaughtering room and 23 (53.5%) of the workers reported that they used hot water. Thirty-one (72.1%) of the workers reported that they do not used soap to wash hands after visiting toilet. Thirty-five (81.4%) of the production workers did not wear mouth mask while handling and distribute meat/carcass. On the other hand, all of the workers wore capes, gowns and boots at the time of the observation and only 18 (18.6%) of the production workers wore gloves at the time of the survey. Conclusion: The current study revealed that significant proportion of sheep carcasses were positive for t otal aerobic bacteria and total coliform. Moreover, the study also showed that spraying of sheep carcasses with 2.5% citric acid significantly reduced the total coliform and aerobic counts. However, we did not assessed how much spray results to this effect. Therefore, we recommended further studies to determine how much spray of 2.5% citric acid significantly reduce bacterial contamination of sheep carcasses. In addition, the abattoir has to follow the food hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system to minimize meat contamination during harvesting and processing. The abattoir has to also implement strict operation laws to improve hygiene conditions of the workers. In addition, the abattoir can minimize meat contamination using 2.5% citric acid as a decontaminant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to assess the hygienic practices and microbial quality of meat at slaughterhouses and butcher's shops in West Hararghe Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was used during April 2019 and August 2019 with a sample size of 52 study participants who worked in a slaughterhouse and/or meat retailing outlets in Chiro and Hirna towns. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire followed by laboratory analysis. The safety of meat products was determined by counting Total Viable Bacterial, Total Coliform, Enterobacter, and Staphylococcus spp. The result of this study showed that meat handlers were mostly uneducated working without protective cloths. Slaughtering and post slaughtering process in many premises were unhygienic, which causes a high risk of crosscontamination and is hazardous for public health. Microbial load both in slaughterhouses and butcher's shops were higher than the recommended standards. Overall the mean total bacterial counts, coliform counts, Enterobacter and staphylococcus spp. values were 7.01±0.25 log10CFU/cm2, 6.02±0.29 log10CFU/cm2, 6.950±0.16 log10CFU/cm2 and 6.36±0.2 log10CFU/cm2, respectively. This might be due to crosscontamination through poor personal hygiene, lack of demarcation between dirt and clean met products in the slaughterhouses, evisceration, and dressing on an unhygienic floor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meat safety is important for public health. As part of the meat chain abattoirs are required to give attention to meat hygiene and safety in order to minimize hazards. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the bacteriological quality of sheep carcasses, knowledge and hygienic practices of workers in a selected abattoir and to determine the effect level of 2.5% citric acid spray on total coliforms and aerobic bacteria load of raw sheep carcasses surfaces. Methods: A cross-sectional study design with structured questionnaire and observational checklists observation were used. A systematic random sampling technique was employed. A total of 50 sample swabs (25 swabs before citric acid spray and 25 after citric acid spray) were randomly taken from brisket, flank and rump of sheep's carcasses. Swabs were moistened with buffered peptone water (BPW) and samples were taken by rubbing 100 cm2 (10 cm × 10 cm) area delineated by sterile aluminum template. In addition, we administered a structured questionnaire and an observational checklists to assess knowledge and hygienic practices of workers. Bacteriological quality of sheep carcasses were analyzed using the methods described by the US bacteriological analytical manual. Results: The mean count for aerobic bacteria of the sheep carcasses before and after citric acid spray were 7.2log10 CFU/ml and 6.4log10 CFU/ml, respectively. The test results also showed that 21 (84%) and 15 (60%) of the swab samples were positive before and after spraying citric acid, respectively. The mean counts for coliform bacterial of the sheep carcasses before and after citric acid spray were 3.5log10 CFU/ml and 2.9log10 CFU/ml, respectively. The mean total aerobic and coliform counts before and after citric acid spray were significantly different (P <.05). Regarding the hygiene condition of workers, all the respondents reported that they always washed their hands with soap before and after entering the slaughtering room and 23 (53.5%) of the workers reported that they used hot water. Thirty-one (72.1%) of the workers reported that they do not used soap to wash hands after visiting toilet. Thirty-five (81.4%) of the production workers did not wear mouth mask while handling and distribute meat/carcass. On the other hand, all of the workers wore capes, gowns and boots at the time of the observation and only 18 (18.6%) of the production workers wore gloves at the time of the survey. Conclusion: The current study revealed that significant proportion of sheep carcasses were positive for t otal aerobic bacteria and total coliform. Moreover, the study also showed that spraying of sheep carcasses with 2.5% citric acid significantly reduced the total coliform and aerobic counts. However, we did not assessed how much spray results to this effect. Therefore, we recommended further studies to determine how much spray of 2.5% citric acid significantly reduce bacterial contamination of sheep carcasses. In addition, the abattoir has to follow the food hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system to minimize meat contamination during harvesting and processing. The abattoir has to also implement strict operation laws to improve hygiene conditions of the workers. In addition, the abattoir can minimize meat contamination using 2.5% citric acid as a decontaminant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest global health threats facing humanity in recent memory. This study aimed to explore influences on hygienic practices, a set of key transmission behaviours, in relation to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model of behaviour change (Michie et al., 2011).Design: Data from the first wave of a longitudinal survey study were used, launched in the early stages of the UK COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Participants were 2025 adults aged 18 and older, representative of the UK population, recruited by a survey company from a panel of research participants. Participants self-reported motivation, capability, and opportunity to enact hygienic practices during the COVID-19 outbreak.Results: Using regression models, we found that all three COM-B components significantly predicted good hygienic practices, with motivation having the greatest influence on behaviour. Breaking this down further, the subscales psychological capability, social opportunity, and reflective motivation positively influenced behaviour. Reflective motivation was largely driving behaviour, with those highest in reflective motivation scoring 51% more on the measure of hygienic practices compared with those with the lowest scores.Conclusions: Our findings have clear implications for the design of behaviour change interventions to promote hygienic practices. Interventions should focus on increasing and maintaining motivation to act and include elements that promote and maintain social support and knowledge of COVID-19 transmission. Groups in particular need of targeting for interventions to increase hygienic practices are males and those living in cities and suburbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infant and young child feeding have the single greatest potential impact on child nutrition and survival. The period between conception and two years is critical in a child's life and this is when interventions to improve nutrition must be delivered. Aim: To determine the impact of a tailored intervention on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among mothers of children under three years of age and antenatal women. Materials and Methods: An interventional study was carried out among Antenatal women, mothers of children under three years of age and influencers in a self-administration area. The calculated sample size for the primary objectives varied between 30-50. In order to give representation to at least 80% of the panchayat, all such women numbering 351 and 87 for each category from the randomly selected 12 of the 16 wards were enrolled in the study. Knowledge and practice of diet during pregnancy, antenatal check-up, breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, expressed breast milk, complementary food items, consistency and frequency of feeding, hygiene, feeding during illness, dangers of bottle feeding were assessed before intervention. After the intervention, an endline survey was conducted to assess the change in the knowledge and practice of the infant and young child feeding practices. Statistical analysis was carried out by comparison of mean, proportions before and after the study. Mc Nemar's chi-square was done on variables with significant improvement followed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: The mean age of the mothers was 27.42±4.53 years. There was a significant increase in knowledge with regard to initiation, exclusive breastfeeding (p=0.01, p=0.01) and bottle feeding (p<0.01) among respondents and influencers. About half (47.9%) of the mothers had initiated breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth registering, a marginal increase from 45.2%. Reasons cited for non-initiation (n=187) were caesarean section (84.5%), child in intensive care unit (10.7%), delay in getting baby (2.1%) and no breast milk (1.07%). A significant decline in prelacteal feeds from 28.9% at baseline to 23.4% after the intervention was observed. Regression analysis for the IYCF practices with significant change demonstrated that belonging to a nuclear family was a predictor of improvement in diet of antenatal women; decrease in bottle feeding was a predictor of prelacteal feeds (OR=10.9 95%CI 3.9-29.9, p<0.001) and vice versa. Conclusion: Complex behaviour in relation to IYCF can be successfully addressed through a multisectoral approach; though follow-up is necessary to sustain it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infections in the adolescent period are mostly due to improper hygienic practices and nutritional problems. Hence the screening for both the issues should be done on a regular basis to intervene properly and reduce the possibility of morbidity during the adolescent period. Objectives: To assess the nutritional status and the hygienic practices of the adolescent students attending secondary school at Berhampore Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among students aged 11 to 14 years studying in a secondary school, Berhampore. The study was conducted using a validated, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The result showed that the majority of the study participants were at the age of 13 years (61%) and most of the study participants were females (52%). The study also showed that there were 27.3%, 18.2%, and 24.7% prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting respectively. There was a 19.5% prevalence of worm expulsion in the past 3 months. The prevalence of most hygienic practices was above 90% except for the brushing of teeth and nail trimming. Conclusion: A comprehensive approach for nutrition and hygienic practices should be recommended to alleviate the prevalence of morbidities like an infection among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is believed to have the largest cattle population in Africa. The total annual milk production from cattle has been estimated at 3.5 billion liters from 11.38 million dairy cows. As a result, cow's milk is the focus of milk processing in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the base of milk processing is fermented milk (Ergo) with no defined starter cultures used to initiate fermentation. The main reasons reported for the use of fermented milk as a base of processing are the small volume of milk produced per day, better shelflife of fermented milk, consumer preference and type of available milk processing materials. The success of dairy development to a large extent depends on market for the product combined with other dairy infrastructure and availability of small-scale processing facilities to manufacture high quality dairy products. In Ethiopia, only 6.6% of the total milk produced in the country is marketed as liquid milk and the remaining 48.8% and 44.6% of produced milk is used for home consumption and processing, respectively. Out of the 44.6% of milk allocated for household processing, 75% and 25% go to butter and Ethiopian cottage cheese production, respectively. Thus, the products could be easily transported to market place, and fetch better prices or returns. The microbiological information on traditional butter is not fully available in Ethiopia. However, the available previous research works conducted in Ethiopia revealed that the microbial count of butter is generally above the acceptable limits set for quality butter. The presence of bacteria in butter reduces the keeping quality of the product and certain bacteria with their associated enzymes and toxins may even survive high temperature and create public health hazards. The potential sources of butter microbial contamination are raw materials, air, water and equipment, which usually occur during processing, packaging and storage of finished product. Therefore, all precautions should be taken to avoid contamination of butter and public health hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease COVID-19 is a respiratory illness declared on March 11, 2020 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization due to its rapid spread among countries since it is very contagious. Data on COVID-19 has shown that there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, it is imperative to follow a list of recommendations. It is essential within food establishments to emphasize on food safety systems implementations, including pre-requisites programmes such as good hygienic practices, good manufacturing practices, pest control, cleaning and sanitation as well as implementing Hazard analysis and critical control points to keep the food supply safe. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has created barriers to international trade, consequently posing new challenges to the food sector, which may result in a need to review the food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ghana, although a number of regulations are in place to guide caterers in their operations, hygienic practices among restaurants in the Kumasi Metropolitan area are inadequate. The hospitality industry alone accounts for about 44% of all the reported foodborne illness outbreaks. The main objective of the study was to assess and evaluate the extent at which licensed restaurants in the Kumasi Metropolis observe food safety and hygienic practices regulations in food provision. Fifty (50) respondents were drawn from the population under study, specifically from staff, managers and regulatory bodies including the Metropolitan Assembly. Primary data was collected from the three groups. Questionnaires were administered and in-depth interview was conducted. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data collected from the respondents in the survey. The study showed that customers in the selected restaurants were very much satisfied at the extent by which restaurants in the Kumasi Metropolis observe and apply the food safety and hygienic practices. It was also revealed that there is adequate evidence to show that formal education and professional training have a significant impact on food safety and hygienic practices of caterers and restaurant managers in the tourism industry in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study recommends that restaurants in the metropolis should be encouraged to sponsor their workers to enroll in some professional programmes to acquire more knowledge for the purpose of practicing food safety and hygiene in the restaurant business. It is further recommended that regulatory bodies should improve their performance by maintaining high standard of food hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, reasons of use, reported hygienic practices, and complications related to CLs' usage, and to assess awareness of medical students about CLs' hygienic behaviours, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional design was done. A multi-stage stratified random sampling was utilized to select 536 medical students. A validated, self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was used. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Results: The prevalence of current users of CLs was 40.5%. Females reported significantly much higher prevalence of usage compared to males (OR=8.38; 95% CI:5.2-13.3). Second-year students, and those living in university dormitory had the highest prevalence of CLs usage compared to others. The commonest reason for wearing CLs was cosmetic purpose. Improper CLs-hygienic practices were reported; as exceeding the period required for renewal (45.6%), sharing lenses (16.6%), and sleeping (29.9%), swimming (24.6%) or showering (29.0%) with CLs. Only 16.6% of the participants cleaned their lenses daily. At least one CLs' related complications was reported by 30.4% of the users. Acute red eye (19.8%), conjunctivitis (18.9%), and corneal abrasion (8.3%) were the commonest CLs' complications. Conclusion: A relatively high prevalence of CLs' usage was found. Participants were aware about CLshygienic practices. However, unhygienic CLs-related practices and complications were also reported. Provision of educational messages and training on sound CLs' hygienic practices are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dilemas Contemporáneos: Educación, Política y Valores is the property of Dilemas Contemporaneos: Educacion, Politica y Valores and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Myths and misconceptions related to menstruation are often associated with some degree of sufferings and embarrassment among adolescent girls. The present study was planned to find out the menstrual pattern among girls as well as their menstrual hygienic practices. Methods: Cross sectional study done in private schools during July 2015 to Sept 2015. Results: The mean age of menarche of the study participants was found to be 13 years 9 months. Around 17.3% girls had irregular menstrual cycles, 40.7% girls were suffering from dysmenorrhea and 34.7% were having backaches. Knowledge regarding menstruation was adequate in 37.3% girls, about 73.3% avoids social gathering and 54.3% were irregular to school during menstruation. About 16.7% of the students were not using sanitary pads. About 26 % girls were having good personal hygiene and 54.6% of participants felt shy watching advertisements regarding sanitary napkins in front of male members. Conclusion: Our study concludes that the prevalence of menstrual irregularity, dysmenorrhoea led to absenteeism which affect the academics and quality of life of students. Awareness regarding menstrual hygiene was also found to be low. Low level of social participation was also seen during menstruation. Awareness programs involving school teachers is the need of the hour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inevitable pesticide use in Indian agriculture has posed an increased risk of exposure to the farmers, which may lead to adverse health manifestations. Therefore, it is essential that the farmers must be aware of the harmful effects of pesticides. Aims and Objectives: To assess knowledge, practice and identify self-reported morbidity symptoms associated with pesticide use among farm women in the identified villages of Telangana, India. Materials and Methods: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted using a pre-tested questionnaire to carry out the survey among farmwomen. Results: 129 women working in agricultural farms were included in the study. Meagre knowledge regarding route of pesticide exposure was observed. Majority of them were not aware of toxicity symbols and never read the precautions on the pesticide containers. Inaccessibility was the main reason for insubstantial use of personal protective equipments (PPEs). Unsafe storage and disposal practices of containers were observed. Weakness (57.3%), headache (52%) and itching of skin (51.1%) were the common morbidity symptoms. Significant association was found between morbidity symptoms and use of PPE and hygienic practices, indicating importance of such practices. Conclusion: Improving knowledge which influences their practices and encouraging PPE use might be useful to remediate these issues. Monitoring studies may further aid to obtain the outcome of the awareness programmes and subsequently improved intervention methods can also be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anemia is one of the most prevalent problems in pregnancy. In 2011, 29.9% of all pregnant women in Jamaica were diagnosed with anemia. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of anemia in pregnancy in Western Jamaica. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 mothers attending post-natal clinics in Western Jamaica. A questionnaire was administered to the mothers, and an abstraction form was used to collect clinical data from the mothers' records. Results: The prevalence of anemia among the women was 37.6%. Younger mothers (aged 18-24 years) were more likely to be anemic compared to those ≥35 years (odds ratio [OR]: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.07-11.06). Mothers who reported not always washing their hands after using the toilet were almost 10 times more likely to be anemic (OR: 9.7, 95% CI: 1.72-54.78) compared to those who reported always washing their hands. Mothers who attended a public facility for antenatal care were 2.3 times more likely to be anemic (OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.03-5.18) compared to those who obtained care at a private facility, and mothers who reported being told that they were anemic by a health care provider (HCP) were almost six times more likely to be anemic compared with those who were not told (OR: 5.58, 95% CI: 1.73-17.93). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that early identification and treatment of anemia, especially among younger pregnant women, should be a priority. HCP should ensure that women understand the need to be cured of their anemia and to adhere to preventive hygienic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In large scale cooking, food is handled by many individuals, thereby increasing the chances of food contamination due to improper handling. Deliberate or accidental contamination of food during large scale production might endanger the health of consumers, and have very expensive repercussions on a country. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices among institutional food- handlers in Ghana.Methods: The study was conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 29 institutions by conducting face to face interview and administration of questionnaire to two hundred and thirty-five (235) institutional food-handlers. The questionnaire was peer-reviewed and pilot tested in three institutions in the Upper East Region of Ghana, before the final version was distributed to food-handlers. The questionnaire was structured into five distinctive parts to collect information on (i) demographic characteristics, (ii) employees' work satisfaction, (iii) knowledge on food safety, (iv) attitudes towards food safety and (v) food hygiene practices.Results: Majority of the food-handlers were between 41-50 years (39.1%). Female respondents were (76.6%). In our study, the food-handlers were knowledgeable about hygienic practices, cleaning and sanitation procedures. Almost all of the food-handlers were aware of the critical role of general sanitary practices in the work place, such as hand washing (98.7% correct answers), using gloves (77.9%), proper cleaning of the instruments/utensils (86.4%) and detergent use (72.8%). On disease transmission, the results indicates that 76.2% of the food- handlers did not know that Salmonella is a food borne pathogens and 70.6% did not know that hepatitis A is a food borne pathogen. However, 81.7% handlers agreed that typhoid fever is transmitted by food and 87.7% agreed that bloody diarrhea is transmitted by food. Logistic regression analysis testing four models showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), for models in which the explanatory variable was the level of education.Conclusions: In generally, the institutional food-handlers have satisfactory knowledge in food safety but this does not translate into strict hygienic practices during processing and handling food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was conducted to assess hygienic cow milk handling practices of milk producers, traders (informal collectors, transporters and vendors) and consumers across the milk supply chain in the Eastern Ethiopia. Materials and methods: A total of 160 milk producers in Babile district were selected using multistage stratified sampling technique. Moreover, a total of 54 milk collectors and transporters (5, 40, 9 from Jigjiga, Harar and Dire Dawa town, respectively), 152 vendors (40 from Bable, Harar and Dire Dawa town and 32 from Jigjiga town) and 160 consumers (40 from each town) were selected using snowball sampling technique. Data from the selected actors were collected using focus group discussion, questionnaire survey and observations. Results: The study revealed that the majority of milk handling operations in the study area is carried out by females. The majority of respondent milk producers (87.5- 92.5%), collectors and transporters (88.9-100%), vendors (77.5-90.7%) and some consumers (37.5-47.5%) performing milk handling operations were illiterate. Most of the observed actors in the study area perform malpractices (such as failure to stop milk handling while showing disease symptoms, improper hand washing and handling of risk factors) while working with milk. Majority of respondent milk producers (87.5- 97.5%), all traders and some consumers (12.5-32.5%) use plastic containers for milk handling. Milk handling equipments were commonly washed using warm water, detergent and sand; however, in most case they were not properly protected from risk factors after washing. Majority of respondent milk producers (55-65%), collectors and transporters (60-66.7%), and some vendors (0-50%) and consumers (0-55%) use water from non-tap sources for hygienic practices. Conclusion: In general; the findings indicated that milk handling practices performed across the supply chain in the study area were unhygienic and therefore suggested the need for improving hygienic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Up until now, poor menstrual hygiene in developing countries has been an insufficiently acknowledged problem. The lack of attention to this issue is striking as we cannot achieve several Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), that is, 2, 3 4,5, and5B. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness about menarche and hygienic practices during menstruation in context of schooling . Materials and Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study using a mix method approach (qualitative and quantitative). It was conducted among 650 adolescent girls in the field practice area of Rural Health and Training Centre, Chiraigaon block of district Varanasi between January and June2011. Pretested, semistructured interview schedule was used. Data were analyzed statistically by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: Out of the total 650 respondents, 590 (90.78%) had attained menarche at the time of interview and only one-third of the respondents (29.4%) were aware of menstruation before menarche and sisters (55%) played the key role in providing information to them. Only 31% respondents were using sanitary pads during menstruation. Self-reported reproductive tract infection (RTI) was observed more in respondents not maintaining hygienic practices (6.6%) as compared to those maintaining hygiene (2.6%). Conclusion and Recommendations: From the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) as well as quantitative survey it was observed that the awareness about menarche before its onset was still poor in rural areas. Significant association ( P < 0.05) was observed between respondent education and their awareness about menarche before its onset. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers can play an influential role in informing them about changes during adolescence, especially about menarche and other issues related to menstruation. As per the present study, sisters and mothers were the major source of information. Therefore, there is a need for the provision of comprehensive family life education for the parents also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food service establishments are the sources of food borne illnesses and the food handlers contribute to food borne illness outbreaks. Purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude of hygienic practices and its associated factors on food handlers working in selected food and drinking establishment found in Mekelle town, northern Ethiopia. A facility based crosssectional study was conducted from January-February 2014 among the 369 food handlers. A simple random sampling method was applied for data collection using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The data entry, cleaning and analysis were performed using SPSS version 20. Bi-variable and multivariable analysis was carried out to see the association between dependant variables and independent variables. The mean age of food handlers was 22.7±6.36 years. Magnitude of hygienic practices of food handlers were 53.1%. Food handlers have an access to running water inside the kitchen [AOR=2.89, 95%CI: 1.43-5.87] and have cupboard for storing food utensils [AOR=3.81, 95%CI: 1.88-7.73] were strongly associated with good hygienic practices. This study identify variables like access to running water, availability of cupboard in the establishment and an owner and relative being a manager was main predictors. The study recommends food handlers need special attention on food safety training, medical checkup and personal hygiene that can increase food hygienic practices. It also recommends that to commence the small-scale enterprise to work on social market in terms of training centers on food safety.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food can be a potential source of infection and disease, right from the point of preparation to the point of consumption. It is more likely in the food service establishments where mass food is prepared. Objectives: To study the physical environment and hygiene status at food service establishments in a tertiary care teaching hospital in central Delhi. Methods: An observational cross sectional study was conducted from June-August, 2014 in medical college and associated hospital in Delhi using questionnaire to assess sanitation and environmental hygiene status. The checklist contained 12 categories with a maximum possible score of 139 for the vegetarian and 140 for the non-vegetarian food establishments. The classification of the establishments on the basis of score obtained is as follows: Grade 1 = 0-25%, Grade 2= 26-50%, Grade 3= 51-75%, Grade 4 = 76-100%. Data analysis: The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total 13 food service establishments were included of which most (92.3%) were operated on contractual basis. Majority (84.6%) provided non-vegetarian food. None of the food handlers were given uniform to wear during their working hours. Few (15.2%) were using caps but those were not covering the entire hair. Conclusion: The conditions of the food establishments in the medical college campus are not of prescribed standard and needs improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is one of the major causes of deaths due to cancer among women in India. Pap smear is one of the best methods to detect early changes in cervix. However, there is lack of data on awareness level of women about Pap smear and various risk factors for cervical cancer. OBJECTIVES: To study the awareness about various risk factors for cervical cancer, health-seeking behavior and hygienic practices among women and to assess the distress experienced by these women before the Pap smear examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on women coming for a Pap smear examination in a tertiary teaching hospital in New Delhi. A pretested interview schedule was used to get information after obtaining their informed consent. RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent stated that they did not consult a doctor when they noticed the symptoms the first time. Sixty-one percent did not know what a cervical cancer is and a same percentage of women did not know what a Pap smear examination was. Older age group, Muslim and literate women had higher number of abnormal Pap smear results. Women who reported being stressed in their lives had higher number of abnormal smears as compared to women who claimed to lead a stress free life. Poor hygienic practices among these women from urban areas were also associated with abnormal Pap smear results. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that factors such as poor awareness, shyness, poor hygiene, and old age could be responsible for abnormal Pap smears and this needs special attention in cancer prevention activities of the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street vendors in the city of Bloemfontein were investigated in order to assess the microbiological quality of the food being sold as well as the level of hygiene conditions under which these food stalls operate. The food samples which were collected included beef, chicken and gravy, while surface samples were taken from the food preparation tables and the hands of the vendors. A structured questionnaire and checklist were used in interviews to determine the status of the vending sites and associated food handling practices. The overall microbiological quality of the foods served by the street vendors was found to be within acceptable safety limits, although the presence of specific microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and yeasts is indicative of a degree of ignorance on the part of the food handlers towards proper hygienic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]