An Investigation on Sanitary and Hygiene Practices at the Gbagi Community Slaughterhouse, Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.

Abstract

The sanitary conditions of a food processing facility play a vital role in the safety and quality of its final products. This study assessed the hygiene practices and sanitary conditions of the Gbagi Community Slaughterhouse in Ibadan, Nigeria, to identify the factors hindering sanitation and meat hygiene at the facility, and provide recommendations for improvement. The study was conducted using a combination of observation and surveys as the data collection technique. The activities taking place in the slaughterhouse were observed for two weeks during which certain practices were documented textually and pictorially. Twelve key informants comprising butchers, cleaners, buyers, and people in the neighborhood were purposively recruited as study participants and were interviewed, using open-ended questions about the sanitation and hygiene practices at the facility. All obtained data were analyzed qualitatively by thematic content analysis. Study results showed poor waste management practices, inadequate ante- and post-mortem veterinary inspection of slaughtered animals, the absence of requisite slaughterhouse infrastructure, and the unhygienic behaviors of slaughterhouse personnel. The sanitary and hygiene practices of the Gbagi Community Slaughterhouse environment fall below the required standards for food processing operations and hence, poses a risk to food safety and public health. An integrated involvement of relevant arms of government is needed at the state and local levels for sanitary enforcement, provision of critical waste management infrastructure at the Gbagi slaughterhouse, and education of slaughterhouse personnel, so as to prevent microbial food contamination and safeguard public health.