When washing is not enough: a cross-disciplinary analysis of hygiene and handling practices among vegetable traders in Nigeria

Itohan Ebunoluwa Abatan, Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie () and Adewale Olusegun Obadina
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Itohan Ebunoluwa Abatan: Federal University of Agriculture
Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie: Michigan State University
Adewale Olusegun Obadina: Federal University of Agriculture

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, No 9, 657-669

Abstract: Abstract Though improper food trader hygiene and handling practices can cause food contamination, few studies have examined both the drivers of their adoption and their impact on the safety of food. Thus, this study examined the hygiene and handling practices of adult vegetable traders in southwest Nigeria by analyzing microbial contamination in vegetable samples and survey data from 166 traders collected over multiple seasons. Our findings show that just half of the traders routinely changed the washing water (every four hours), putting consumers at risk of severe E. coli infection. Almost no traders have received formal training on food safety. High toilet-use fees and a limited number of toilets are also significantly associated with practice gaps among traders. The study findings reveal the need for increased awareness about hygiene and food safety among food traders, e.g. through training programs. In addition, improving market infrastructure such as more toilets and hand washing stations and reducing the associated costs of using these services could facilitate better adoption and adherence to good hygiene practices which has a direct impact on food safety. Addressing food safety requires a multifaceted approach that includes education, infrastructure improvement, and policy interventions aimed at promoting and sustaining good food handling practices among food traders in Nigeria and similar contexts.

Keywords: Vegetable; Traders; Handling practices; Food safety; Microbial contaminants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12571-025-01531-x

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