scholarly journals An epidemiological investigation of food-borne disease surveillance in the Ncera Villages, Eastern Cape, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Khanya Zukolwakhe Bisholo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Medical Treatment ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Food Borne Illness ◽  
Household Heads ◽  
At Home

An increase in food-borne disease burden in the world’s population has raised concerns over the reliability of surveillance systems. Research has shown the importance of food-borne surveillance systems used in the detection and management of food-borne illness. Government fiscals are increasingly burdened by the rapid spread of food-borne illness, although the exact economic impact is unclear in many countries. In recent years, food security has been the main agenda overshadowing food safety. A reactional approach to outbreaks is the trend instead of proactive systems. Food-borne disease is associated with low and high socio-economic status populations. More than 30 pathogens were identified as the major causes of food- borne outbreaks globally, and some food-borne pathogens have long term health consequences. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate food-borne diseases surveillance in Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp villages and local clinics, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methodology: A retrospective, observational, quantitative study was conducted in two phases. The first phase included the screening of tick registers at Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp clinics. The screening was to determine the number of food-borne cases that were reported at these clinics. In the second phase, a stratified random sampling method was used to interview 90 households from the above-mentioned villages to determine the number of villagers who suffered from food-borne diseases, symptoms experienced and food safety practices. Results from both phases were compared to determine whether the number of reported cases at the clinics reflected the same number of cases in the villages from 2012 to 2014. The total size of the study population was 5007 people. Respondents were invited to participate having signed informed consent. Data was summarised and described using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, means and standard deviations. Data was analysed using SPSS version 23; cross tabulations and Chi-square tests at a probability of p< 0.05 were done. Graphs and tables were used to graphically represent the data. Results: It was found that the majority of household heads were female (n = 51; 58.6%) and 33 (37.9%) of them were married. Most of the residents (n = 84; 96.5%) use the public health clinics for their medical condition treatment. Fifty-six (64.4%) household heads were HIV negative. The majority of households had a monthly income of R1 500 – R 3 500 (n = 45; 51.7). Less than a tenth (n = 6; 6.9%) of household heads were very concerned about the safety of food prepared at home. The relationship between food safety concern levels about food prepared at home and away from home was statistically significant (p = 0.000), reporting a significant difference in the way people perceive the preparation of food at home and away from home. More than a tenth of the villagers (n = 79; 19.7%) reported through the questionnaire, that they fell ill or thought that they fell ill from something they ate in the past 3 months. More than half (n = 56; 51.3%) of the participants who fell ill with food- borne diseases in these villages did not seek medical treatment for their illness whilst 6 (54.6%) did not see the need to seek medical treatment and reported that they got ill during weekends. Of those who sought medical treatment, 16 (39%) received prescribed medication while 3 (7%) reported that they were not provided with medication by healthcare providers when they suffered from food-borne illness. More than a quarter (n = 109; 27.3%) of household members fell ill from food-borne diseases in Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp villages during the period 2012 to 2014. Whereas there were four food-borne cases reported to the clinics in the same period. Conclusion: This research gathered information regarding food-borne disease prevalence in Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp villages. It was observed that there is a gap in the surveillance of food-borne illness in these villages. In some of the tick registers used by healthcare providers at clinics to collect data, vital surveillance information such as gender, age and diagnosis was missing. This study deepens the understanding of food-borne illness and food safety in a village setting.

scholarly journals Food safety in Bangladesh: A microbiological perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashed Noor ◽  
Farahnaaz Feroz
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Microbiological Contamination ◽  
Food Inspection ◽  
Legislative Action ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Food Borne Illness ◽  
Regulatory Bodies

Bangladesh has long been facing problems associated with microbiological contamination of varieties foods due to the lack of awareness on hygiene followed by the defective legislative action. Manifestation of microbial prevalence in different foods bring about vital information on food safety as well as may envisage on the further intoxication caused by the prevailing microorganisms. Although a few extent of food inspection is apparently in some of the governmental regulatory bodies; however, the mass population is still suffering from a number of food borne illness. Present review partially focused on the microbiological regulation of the foods in Bangladesh and discussed the possible remedies for the maintenance of food safety.Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.6(1) 2016: 1-6

scholarly journals Food-borne disease prevalence in rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanya Z. Bisholo ◽  
Shanaz Ghuman ◽  
Firoza Haffejee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
Food Borne

Background: The highest burden of food-borne diseases is in Africa. Despite this, food safety does not seem to be a major concern in many African countries. There is also a lack of concern within rural areas of South Africa.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of food-borne diseases in rural areas in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, by comparing data obtained from a cross-sectional survey and clinic records.Setting: The study was conducted in Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.Methods: In the first phase of the study, a random sample of household heads (n = 87) were interviewed to determine the prevalence of food-borne diseases between 2012 and 2014. In the second phase, registers from clinics serving the villages were screened for food-borne disease cases during the same time period.Results: A total of 109 (27.3%) household members fell ill because of food-borne diseases. Half (n = 56; 51.3%) of the respondents who fell ill because of food-borne diseases did not seek medical treatment for their illness. Of those who sought treatment, 19 (46%) attended primary health care clinics. However, examination of the clinic registers showed only four recorded cases of food-borne diseases.Conclusion: The prevalence of food-borne diseases in rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, was reported as high but the records in clinic registers are low, indicating a gap in the health care system. Monitoring of these diseases needs to improve.

scholarly journals The affect of temperature and pH on the food safety of kombucha tea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Hammel ◽  
BCIT School of Health Sciences, Environmental Health ◽  
Vanessa Karakilic ◽  
Fred Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Ph Change ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Kombucha Tea ◽  
Initial Ph ◽  
Food Borne Illness

  Objectives: Kombucha tea is becoming an increasingly popular food item within the Vancouver area. The tea is prepared through fermentation at room temperature during which acidic by-products are produced lowering the overall pH of the tea. Though the pH eventually reaches levels below 4.6, many health authorities prevent the sale of kombucha in farmers markets due to potential food safety issues. The initial pH before fermentation is around 5.5 and is then left at room temperature to ferment. As a result, this process potentially could allow for food borne illness causing organisms to survive and proliferate within the sugared tea. This research project will investigate the relationship of pH and time during fermentation at both room and refrigeration temperatures. Fermentation within a refrigerator could provide a safer alternative fermentation method Methods: The pH was measured using a pH meter for 30 samples at both room and refrigeration temperatures providing a total of 60 samples. The pH was measured periodically every twelve hours for a total of 120 hours. The data was analyzed using a linear regression model to determine if the pH change over time was statistically significant. The time at which the pH dropped below 4.6 was also noted for food safety purposes Results: At room temperature the pH steadily decreased in a linear fashion throughout the entire sampling period, dropping below 4.6 within 12 hours. The pH decreased in a nearly identical fashion when fermented in a refrigerator for the first 72 hours of sampling. After the 72 hour mark the pH stabilized at approximately 3.75, whereas the pH at room temperature continued to decrease down to 3.10 after the full sampling period Conclusion: The results indicate that kombucha tea becomes a non-potentially hazardous food within the first 12 hours of fermentation. The pH dropped below 4.6 after 12 hours at which point no food borne illness causing bacteria are able to survive and proliferate within the tea. The observed decrease in pH during the first 72 hours within a refrigerator is unlikely to have resulted from the fermentation process and therefore is not a feasible practice. Fermentation at room temperature appears to be a relatively safe process if home brewers are able to measure the pH change and carry out the process in a sanitary manner  

Evaluation of Food Safety and Hygienic Practices in the Tourism Industry: A Case Study of Some Selected Restaurants in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 117 (11) ◽  
pp. 34-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Catherine Impraim ◽  
Priscilla Osae- Akonnor ◽  
Emmanuel Kwesi Nyantakyi
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Food Borne Illness ◽  
Regulatory Bodies

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 food-borne 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.

scholarly journals Inspecting inspection reports, does the type of restaurant change the risk?

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Cseke ◽  
BCIT School of Health Sciences, Environmental Health ◽  
Helen Heacock ◽  
Bobby Sidhu ◽  
Lorraine McIntyre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Metro Vancouver ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Food Borne Illness ◽  
Critical Violations ◽  
Hazard Rating

  Background An estimated of 4 million Canadians (one in eight people) become ill every year from a food-borne illness (Thomas et al., 2013). The economic and social burdens of these illnesses are vast. As restaurants are a big sector of the food industry, improving their food safety would reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses. Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are on the front line, educating restaurant operators in order to improve food safety. In Metro Vancouver there are many different types of ethnicities and types of restaurants; this provides a challenge for EHOs to know where to allocate their time and resources. Methods The author analyzed 150 Fraser Health inspection reports in the Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey municipalities. The restaurants fell into three different categories: i) Independently owned ethnic, ii) Independently owned, non-ethnic and iii) chain non-ethnic restaurants. Hazard ratings, number of critical and number of non-critical violations from their latest inspection report were compared. Each violation code was also recorded to identify any infraction trends that exist. Results Analysis of the number of critical violations identified ethnic, chain non-ethnic, and independent non-ethnic restaurants as not being significantly different (p=0.09). The number of non-critical violations was different (0.033), with ethnic restaurants having the most. The number of critical violations, when treating each ethnicity as its own category, is however significantly different (p=0.044) between restaurant types. There was a significant association between hazard rating and restaurant type, with independent ethnic restaurants having the worst hazard rating (p=0.017). Conclusion The type of ownership (independent vs chain) and the restaurant type were not a factor when looking at number of critical violations that a restaurant commits. Independent ethnic restaurants had a slightly higher mean number of critical violations. Japanese restaurants had the highest number of critical violations out of the three ethnicities studied. These findings suggest a slight disparity in risk to public health between ethnic and non-ethnic restaurants.  

scholarly journals Sanitation at the Slaughterhouse and the Hygiene of Food of Animal Origin

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mária Vargová ◽  
František Zigo ◽  
Katarína Veszelits Laktičová
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Coliform Bacteria ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Food Of Animal Origin ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Colony Forming Units ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Food Borne Illness

Nowdays, one of the most important issues is the issue of food safety. There are many problems with the control of food safety and creation of appropriate legislation that protects food of animal origin. Hygiene and sanitation should be effectively applied and should be controlled at each step during production in food processing plants. The aim of study was to evaluate the surface microorganisms in the monitored parts of the slaughterhouse before slaughter and during slaughter but also after disinfection by disinfectant Virkon S. Disinfectant was used in a 1 % concentration and applied by spraying. Virkon S was effective on all monitored surfaces except the table for organs, where were detected 2x102 colony forming units per 10 cm2 of total count of bacteria, 2x102 colony forming units per 10cm2 of coliform bacteria and 1x102 colony forming unit per 10cm2 of moulds after disinfection. The sanitation program should be thoroughly planned, actively enforced, and effectively supervised. Disinfection has its meaning since, everything that comes into contact with the raw material can contribute to outbreaks of food borne illness.

Impact of Food-Borne Illness on Food Safety Concerns of International Air Travellers

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya L. MacLaurin ◽  
Donald J. MacLaurin ◽  
Loi Soh Loi
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Grading System ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
International Airport ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
Food Borne Illness

This study examines international air travellers' attitudes and perceptions of the importance of food safety, sources of information on food safety, and the value of a global grading system for food service establishments. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data from travellers at Changi International Airport, Singapore. Results indicated an increase in the reported incidence of food-borne illness occurring with increased frequency of travel. Friends who had travelled to the destination were considered the best source of food safety information. Travel plans were altered out of concern about food safety and the food safety reputation of the destination. Eighty per cent of respondents stated that they would benefit from a standardized food safety grading system for the world's eating establishments.

scholarly journals Food safety awareness and food handling practices among rural population of Tamil Nadu

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinoth Gnana Chellaiyan ◽  
Jasmine . ◽  
L. Fasna ◽  
Loganathan . ◽  
Sadhu Venkata Mallika
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Expiry Date ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
At Home

Background: Food borne diseases (FBD) are illness caused by consuming contaminated food or drink. The contamination can occur anywhere from farm to the plate and can lead to a variety of avoidable infectious diseases. The high prevalence of food borne illness at home could be attributed to poor food hygiene and preparation due to poor awareness of proper practices. The objective of the study was to assess the awareness and practice of food safety at home among rural population in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu state.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Kelambaakam village, Kancheepuram district from November 2016 to April 2017 with a sample size of 200. A pretested semi structured questionnaire was used to collect the data.Results: Among the 200 study participants, 50.5% of the subjects have the knowledge regarding nutritive value getting diminished because of overcooking. Around 33% lack the knowledge of proper methods of washing vegetables. While 36% said consuming food not freshly prepared may lead to food poisoning, 23.5% have no idea about that. Around 46% consider price the most, rather than damaged packing (17%) or expiry date (19%) while purchasing food items in super market. Around 43.5% have the attitude that carbonated drinks help in food digestion.Conclusions: Community awareness through systematic teaching regarding basic food safety guidelines is necessary to avoid many food borne infectious diseases in rural areas.

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