IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

RESEARCH JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND QUALITY CONTROL (RJFSQC )

E-ISSN 2504-6145
P-ISSN 2695-2459
VOL. 11 NO. 1 2025
DOI: 10.56201/rjfsqc.vol.11.no1.2025.pg115.135

---

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Road-Side Vendors of Ready-To-Eat Grilled Catfish in Awka Metropolis, Anambra State, Nigeria

UNEZE, Chijioke Uchechukwu, AHMED, M Adewole and, OYIBO, A Ameachi

---

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of road-side vendors of ready to eat grilled catfish in Awka metropolis, Anambra state, Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey was adopted in selecting a sample of vendors. This sample was derived from 20 entities randomly selected from four predetermined towns that were considered to have high concentration of these operators. Thereafter, a structured questionnaire comprised of items on socio-demographic factors of vendors, their food safety knowledge, attitude and practices was used in collecting data for the study. The items on food safety knowledge of vendors were adapted from the WHO’s 5-keys to safer food guidelines for food handlers while those on attitude and practices were largely modified versions of relevant items that were available in literature. The food safety knowledge on keep clean (79.4%-95.6%) and cook thoroughly (72.5%-86.8%) were high amongst the 5-key areas analyzed. These vendors had high conformance attitudes (over 70% response rate) at doing well to observe proper cleaning procedure, responsibility to prevent food contamination and spoilage, expired food not to be consumed, reason for observing food hygiene standard being for fear of management/government/regulatory supervisors as well as task performance supervisors’ motivation. Measures to pay concerned attention to hygienic source of catfish and vegetables and cover of wounds with plaster/bandage before preparation of grilled catfish were the only two practices on food safety observed by vendors. However, majority of the road side grilled catfish vendors were females (58.1%) and 63.1% of sample entities being less or 35years of age. Again, 73.8% of these vendors have had some training on food safety with 66.3% having less than 3years experience in catfish grilling while 85% earned income of less or equal to 200,000 naira per month. Training was foun

keywords:

Food Safety, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Grilled, Catfish, Vendors

---

References:

Adeosun, K. P., Oosterveer, M., Greene, P. and Salman, V. (2022). Informal ready-to-eat food
vending: A social practice perspective on urban food poisoning in Nigeria. Food
Security 18(7),1-18 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-022-0125-7-0
Adesokan, H.K., Akinseye, V. O. and Adesokan, G. A. (2015). Food safety training is
associated with improved knowledge and behaviors among food service establishments
workers. International Journal of Food Science https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/328761
Adewunmi, A.A. and Olayeye, V. F. (2011). Catfish culture in Nigeria: progress, prospects and
problems. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 6(6),1281-1285
Akabanda, F., Hlortsi, E. H. and Owusu-Kwarteng, J. (2017). Food safety knowledge, attitude
and practices of institutional food-handlers in Ghana. BMC Public Health 17,1-9
Akande, G. and Dei-Ouadi, Y. (2010). Post -harvest losses in small scale fisheries: case studies
in five sub-Saharan African countries. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical
Paper NO.550 Rome: FAO
Akoglu, H. (2018). User’s guide to correlation coefficients Turk J Emerg Med. 18(3),91-93
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjem.2018.08.001
Akpambang, V.O.E., Purcao, G., Lajide, L., Amoo, I.A., Conte, L. S. and Moret, S. (2009).
Determination of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in commonly consumed Nigerian
smoked/ grilled fish and meat. Food Additives and Contaminants,26(7),1090-1103
Alemayehu, T., Aderaw, Z., Giza, M. and Diress, G. (2021). Food safety knowledge, handling
practices and associated factors among food handlers working in food establishment in
Debre Markos Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020 : institution-based cross-sectional
study.
Risk
Mang
Healthc
Policy14,1155-1163
https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.s295974
Alemoyehu, T., Aderaw, Z., Giza., M. and Diress, G. (2021). Food safety knowledge, handling
practices and associated factors among food handlers working in food establishments
in Debre Markos town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020: institution-based cross-sectional
study.
Risk
Management
and
Healthcare
Policy
14,1155-1163.
https;//doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S295974
Al-shabib, N.A., Mosihey, S. H. and Hussain, F. M. (2016). Cross-sectional study on food
safety knowledge, attitude and practices of male food handlers employed in restaurants
of
king
Saudi
university,
Saudi-Arabia.
Food
Control
59,212-217
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.05.002
Asmawi, U. M., Norehan, A.A., Salikin, K., Rosdi, N. A., Munir, N. A. and Basri, N. B. (2018).
An assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices in food safety among food handlers
engaged
in
food
courts
Curr
Res
Nutr
Food
Sc
J
6(2),346-353
https://doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.6.2.09
Ayodedeji, O.O., Oni, T. S. and Sanyaolu, V. A. (2023). Consumer awareness of polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminants in smoked fish and factors influencing
smoked fish consumption in Ado-Odo/Ota local Government area of Ogun state Ghana
Jnl Agric. Sci.58(2),1-13
Barnabas, B., Bavorova, M., Madaki, M. Y. et al. (2024). Food safety knowledge, attitudes and
practices of food vendors participating in Nigeria’s school feeding program. Journal of
Consumer Protection and Food Safety 19, 199-212 https://doi.org/10.1007/s0003-023-
01476-3
Bas, M., Ersun, A.S. and Kivanc, G. (2006). The evaluation of food hygiene knowledge,
attitudes and practices of food handlers in food business in Turkey. Food Control
17,317-322
Bou-Mitri, C., Mahmood, D., ElGerges, N., Jaoude, M.A. (2018). Food safety knowledge,
attitude and practices of food handlers in Lebanese hospitals: a cross-sectional study.
Food Control 94,78-84
Business Day Daily Newspaper (September 19,2022). Article by Godsgift Onyedinefu,
Rejection of Nigeria’s Agro export persists over safety concerns, others-report.
https://www.businessday.ng/news/article/rejection of Nigeria-agro-exports-persists-
over-safety-concerns-others-report/? amp
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC (2015). Food safety: foodborne germs and
illnesses. https://www.cdc.gov/food safety/foodborne-germs.html
Chen, B. H. and Chen, Y.C. (2001). Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during
processing of chicken meat. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 45(4),1394-
1403
Chua, C.N. and Yunus, M.M. (2020). Roll Roll dice: an effective method to improve writing
skills among year 3 pupils in constructing SVOA sentences. Universal Journal of
Educational Research,8(6),2368-2382 https://doi.org/10.1013189/ujer.2020.080621
Costa, R. (2013). Escherichia coli in sea food : a brief overview. Adv. Biosci Biotechnol4, 450-
454 https://doi.org/10.4236/abb.2013.43A060
EFSA (2008). Scientific opinion of the panel on contaminants in the food chain on a request
from the European Commission on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food. The
EPSA Journal 724, 65-114
Elobeid, T., Sawaidis, I. and Ganji, V. (2019). Impact of food safety training on knowledge,
practice and attitudes of food handlers working in fast food restaurants. British Food
Journal 121(4),937-949 https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2019-0066
Faremi, F. A., Olatubi, M. I. and Nnabuife, G. (2018). Food safety and hygienic factors among
food vendors in a tertiary institution in south western Nigeria. European Journal of
Nutrition and Food Safety,8(2),59-70
Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria FMH (2014). National policy of food safety and its
implementation strategy Abuja: FMH
Food and Agriculture Organization FAO (2014). Definitions of purposes of Codex
Alimentarus. https://www.fao.docrep/005/y2200e/y2200e07.htm
Food and Agriculture Organization FAO (2023). Catfish: a big business for a big nation.
Bolstering Nigeria’s booming catfish sector to help feed Africa’s most populous
country https://www.fao-stories/article/en/c/165062/
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition GAIN (2020). Integrating food safety and Nutrition
for improved health and well-being: a new lens on existing food system frameworks. A
USAID Eat safe Project Report
Huisman, E. A. and Richter, C, J. J. (1987). Reproduction, growth, health control and
aquaculture potential of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Aquaculture, 63(1-4),1-
14
Ikeogu, C. F., Ofuokwu, E. C., Ezembu, E.N., Amuneke, K. E., Oguntade, O. R and
Akinrotimi, O. A. (2023). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in Clarias gariepinus
dried with traditional and modern smoking kiln. Int J Oceanogr Aquac, 7(3)
https://doi.org/10.23880/ijoac-16000250
Islam, S., Tanjia, N., Mitra, A, K.et al. (2024). Inadequate food safety knowledge and hygiene
practices among street food vendors in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sci Rep14
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68099-y
Iwu, A., Uwakwe, K., Duru, C., Chineke, H., Merenu, I., Oluoha, U., Madubueze, U., Ndukwu,
E. and Ohale, I. (2017). Knowledge, attitude and practices of food hygiene among food
vendors in Owerri, Imo- state, Nigeria. Occupational. Diseases and Environmental
Medicine, 5,11-25 https://doi.org/10.4236/odem.2017.51002
Kadariya, J., Smith, T.C. and Thapaliya, D. (2014). Staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcal
foodborne disease: an ongoing challenge in public health. Biomed Res Int.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/827965
Kunadu, A. P.H., Ofosu, D.B., Aboagye, E. and Tano-Debrak, K. (2016). Food safety
knowledge, attitude and self-reported practices of food handlers in institutional food
service
in
Accra
Ghana.
Food
Control
69,324-330
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.05.011
Lee, H. k., Halim, H. A., Thong, K.L. and Chai. L. C. (2017). Assessment of food safety
knowledge, attitudes, self- reported practices and microbiological hand hygiene of food
handlers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 55, 1-14
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14010055
Linda, M. N. Carboo, P. D., Yeboah,

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back