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Bacteriological safety assessment, hygienic habits and cross-contamination risks in a Nigerian urban sample of household kitchen environment

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Abstract

Urban household kitchen environment was assessed for safety by determining their levels of indicator bacteria, hygienic habits and risk of cross-contamination. Household kitchens (60) were selected in Warri Town, Nigeria, by the multi-stage sampling technique. Contact surfaces, water and indoor kitchen air were analysed for aerobic plate counts, total and faecal coliforms using Nutrient and McConkey media by swab/rinse method, membrane filtration and sedimentation methods, respectively. Hygienic habits and risk of cross-contamination were assessed with structured questionnaire which included socio-demographic variables. On the basis of median counts, the prevalence of high counts (log cfu/cm2/m3/100 mL) of aerobic plate counts (>3.0), total coliforms (>1.0) and faecal coliforms (>0) on contact surfaces and air was high (58.0–92.0%), but low in water (30.0–40.0%). Pots, plates and cutleries were the contact surfaces with low counts. Prevalence of poor hygienic habits and high risk of cross-contamination was 38.6 and 67.5%, respectively. Education, occupation and kitchen type were associated with cross-contamination risk (P = 0.002–0.022), while only education was associated with hygienic habits (P = 0.03). Cross-contamination risk was related (P = 0.01–0.05) to aerobic plate counts (OR 2.30; CL 1.30–3.17), total coliforms (OR 5.63; CL 2.76–8.25) and faecal coliforms (OR 4.24; CL 2.87–6.24), while hygienic habit was not. It can be concluded that urban household kitchens in the Nigerian setting are vulnerable to pathogens likely to cause food-borne infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Delta State University, P. M. B. 1, Abraka, Nigeria

    Bernard O. Ejechi & Ono P. Ochei

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  1. Bernard O. Ejechi
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  2. Ono P. Ochei
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Correspondence to Bernard O. Ejechi.

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Appendices

Appendix 1

Table 6 Questionnaire on hygienic habits of domestic kitchen operators
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Appendix 2

Table 7 Questionnaire on sources of cross-contamination in domestic kitchen
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Ejechi, B.O., Ochei, O.P. Bacteriological safety assessment, hygienic habits and cross-contamination risks in a Nigerian urban sample of household kitchen environment. Environ Monit Assess 189, 298 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6016-1

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