Awareness of Hygiene and Safety Practices on Raw Milk Produced and Consumed in Kiambu County, Kenya

Background: In Kenya Food safety has been a subject of concern in the recent past due to an increase in chronic illnesses. This was triggered by challenges in quality control, unregulated trade of milk by hawkers, and a minimal level of safety awareness among the farmers. Objective: The study was aimed at finding out awareness of safety practices on raw milk produced and consumed in Kiambu County.  Methods: A cross-section study was carried out, to examine hygiene standards and safety aspects among dairy farmers at Gatundu South Constituency, mainly in three regions namely Kiganjo, Gatei and Gatundu town. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 33 participants in each locality. Results: The study showed small scale farmers accounted for (98%) who keep 2 to 3 cows. The quality assurance of the products accounted for more than (97%) hence not significant (p>0.05). The record management at the farm level had less than 40% of farmers, hence no significance difference (p>0.05). The milk rejection accounted for 97%, and there was a significant ((p˂0.05)). In contamination with antibiotics and preservatives. Brokers who vend milk in the sub-urban centers in Thika town, Ruiru town, and Nairobi accounted for (14%)... The use of health records was not a priority among the farmers, coupled with irregular withdrawal periods; ranging from 48 hours to 72 hours. Conclusion: Hygiene standards and safety aspects among dairy farmers in Kiambu County are compromised. Subsequently, there is a need to enforce controls in; informal marketing channels, besides training, infrastructural development, code of practice and inspections to enhance the quality and safety of dairy products along the supply chain

Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices in Milk Processing Companies in Nairobi County and Microbial Contamination of Milk and Milk Products

Good manufacturing practice involves a series of measures to be adopted by the food industries in order to guarantee the safety and conformity of food products to specific regulations. Even though good manufacturing practices are vital systems in food safety and is associated with minimum sanitary and processing requirements for the food industry, only a few studies have reported GMP implementation by small milk processing companies. Therefore, the present study was undertaken in milk processing firms to evaluate the implementation of good manufacturing practices for control of microbial contamination in milk and milk products. Purposive, random and stratified sampling techniques was used to identify milk processing companies. Ten processing facilities were purposively sampled for the study. The representatives were interviewed, using a pretested questionnaire and data was collected and analyzed. All the processors had qualified personnel handling milk and milk products with a daily processing capacity of 20000-30000 litres. It was observed that the processors complied with all regulatory and licensing requirements and had in place critical process controls with majority indicating pasteurization at temperatures ranging from 80-90oC as the most common method. The processors had several food safety management systems such as ISO 22000, GMPs, and HACCP which were handled by trained and competent staff. It was observed that all the processors tested for total viable counts (TVC), and E. coli while only 50% and 33.3% of the processors tested for S. aureus and L. monocytogenes respectively. Furthermore, the processors (33.3%) reported E. coli as the main contaminant while L. monocytogenes were not detected. A majority (83.3%) had well-documented cleaning programs and had a system of controlling cross contamination which was enforced through different colour codes (66.7%), memos and notices (16.7%) and through colour coding of processing equipment (16.7%). In conclusion, the present study discovered that milk processors had implemented good manufacturing practices (GMP) and conformed to good processing practices

Prevalence of Common Microbiological Pathogen Contamination in Processed Milk and Milk Products in Nairobi County, Kenya

Milk has an outstanding nutritional quality but it is also an excellent medium for bacterial growth and an important source of bacterial infection when consumed without pasteurization. This study aimed at establishing the prevalence of Total Viable Count (TVC), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes contamination on processed milk and milk products. The study was carried out in Karen, Kibera and Langata Sub- Counties of Nairobi County which were purposively chosen because they have glaring contrasts in living standards. Samples of fresh milk, yoghurt cheese and ice creams were collected from supermarkets and prepared for analysis of microorganisms. All isolates were characterized and identified based on their morphological and cultural characteristics. TVC were detected in 100% of the samples collected and there was significant statistical variation (P ≤ 0.05) in the contamination level among the products. Of the samples collected in Karen, ice cream had the highest contamination level (3.26 log10 CFU ml-1). Ice cream samples from Langata had the highest TVC contamination levels at 4.35 log10 CFU ml-1. The overall prevalence of E. coli in milk and milk products was 41.6% with a mean count of 0.34 log10 CFU ml-1 in Karen, 0.07 log 10 CFU ml -1 in Kibera and 0.11 log 10 CFU ml -1 in Langata while Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 33.3% of the milk and milk products. The occurrence and detection of E. coli and S. aureus foodborne pathogens in milk and milk products represent a health risk to consumers. Therefore, there is need to improve the microbial quality of milk and milk products by employing measures that will establish proper management practices to ensure improved hygiene, good manufacturing practices and food systems that will help to minimize microbial contamination

Vendor Characteristics, Practices, Microbial Contamination of Fish and Oil Quality in the Street Vending of Deep-fried Fish in Peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya: Case of Kasarani Sub-county

Aim: The main objective of the study is to assess the vendor and environmental hygiene, microbial contamination of deep-fried tilapia sold, and the quality of the oil used in the streets of Kasarani sub-county Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Kasarani Sub-county and The University of Nairobi Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Technology laboratory between January 2019 to July 2020. Methodology: Structured questionnaires, checklists, analytical observations, and market observations were used to collect data from the street vendors. After the collection of the fish samples, microbial analysis of the fish samples was carried out using standard methods for Total coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus. The deep-frying oil was sampled for analysis of color and viscosity. Results were evaluated using national standards. Results: The findings indicated that all the vendors have received a basic education and that all vendors fall under the low-income group. The most contaminated part of the fish by Staphylococcus aureus and total coliforms is the gills. The highest contamination was from Clay city ward (2.46 ± 0.43) while the least contaminated was from the Mwiki ward (1.28 ± 1.17). The total coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus concentration are significantly different between wards p (<0.05) as the p-value was 0.003 and 0.043 respectively. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the vending practices carried out are unsanitary. The fish as sold were contaminated with total coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus at high levels indicating poor hygiene procedures. The environment is characterized by poor sanitation and hygiene. The oil used for deep frying was characterized by dark color and high viscosity indicating prolonged usage of the same oil. Policies governing street vending and the environment should be reinforced to prevent the occurrence of hazards resulting from street vended fish

Moisture and Aflatoxin Contents of Kenyan Market Peanuts and Decontamination with Water, Lime and Ultraviolet Radiation Treatments

In the recent past, aflatoxin in peanuts and products has been a subject of controversy in Kenya. In the early 2019, some brands of locally manufactured peanut butter were withdrawn from the market shelves on account of containing aflatoxin higher than the national tolerance. It has been established that Kenyan market peanuts contain high levels of aflatoxin. Roasting is reported to have little effect on the aflatoxin content. This study was designed to assess the effect of specific treatments prior to roasting in reducing the aflatoxin levels to below the tolerance. This would then ensure compliance of the toxin levels in the roasted peanuts and the products with the national tolerance. The treatments included soaking in water, in lime, and UV irradiation. The peanut samples were collected from 20 vendors in the Main Cereal Market in Nairobi and brought to the laboratory of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). They were analysed for moisture and aflatoxin content. Each sample was subjected to the treatment and reduction was evaluated in aflatoxin to the tolerance. The moisture content of the peanuts varied from 5.2 – 8.4% with mean of 6.5%. Moisture almost complied with the optimum for storage of 8.0%. The total aflatoxin contents varied from 3.3 – 38.5 ppb with mean of 14.8 ppb. Up to 45% samples had aflatoxin above tolerance of 10 ppb. There was positive and significant (p < 0.01) correlation between aflatoxin levels and moisture content. Treatment of the peanuts with water (cold & warm) and warm lime and irradiation with UV all managed to reduce the aflatoxin contents to below the tolerance, in the order lime>warm water>cold water>UV irradiation. The study concluded that the moisture content of the market peanuts in Kenya, almost complies with recommended optimum for storage the tolerance, but the mean aflatoxin content was well above the tolerance. However, the aflatoxin levels can be lowered effectively by soaking in water, lime, and by irradiation with UV

Postharvest Handling Knowledge and Practices among Food Handlers on Mycotoxigenic Molds Contamination in Maize Based Diets in School Meals Program in Salima District, Malawi

Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine the postharvest handling knowledge and practices among food handlers on mycotoxigenic molds contamination in maize based diets in School Meals Program in Salima District, Malawi. Study Design: This was cross-sectional study with qualitative and quantitative component. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Salima district, Central Malawi, between August and November, 2019. Methodology: The study used a structured questionnaire which was administered to 124 individual food handlers which were purposively selected from 31 primary schools. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the 31 primary schools among those implementing home-grown school meals program. The food handlers included School Meals Cooks, Food Suppliers, Food Committee members, and Stores Keepers. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (version 20.0). Results: The results showed that 80% of food handlers had high knowledge of causes of mycotoxigenic molds contamination in maize foods, 47% had moderate knowledge of health effects of mycotoxigenic molds, while 50% had moderate knowledge of control measures of mycotoxigenic molds in maize foods. Eighty-five percent (85%) were not aware of mycotoxins contamination in maize foods. Furthermore, the study revealed that 60% of food handlers practiced poor postharvest handling of maize foods during transporting, storage and processing in schools. There were no significant differences in knowledge of mycotoxigenic molds and postharvest handling practices of maize foods across demographic regions among food handlers (P >0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that majority of food handlers had high knowledge of mycotoxigenic molds in maize foods, however they practiced poor postharvest handling which might influence occurrence of mycotoxigenic molds in maize based diets for school children. There is need to educate all stakeholders involved in School meals Programme on mycotoxins and postharvest handling of maize foods to prevent school children from the risk of mycotoxins exposure

Determinants of Microbial Contamination of Street-Vended Chicken Products Sold in Nairobi County, Kenya

Food safety problems pose a great threat to the health of consumers with the greatest burden in developing countries. Street-vended foods play a key role in providing many urban dwellers with cheap, nutritious, and accessible food, but when prepared in an unhygienic and unregulated environment, they could contribute to increased food safety burden. The study investigated the microbiological recovery of work surfaces and chicken sold in Korogocho and Kariobangi North slums in Nairobi County as well as evaluating vendors’ hygiene and food safety practices. This is a cross-sectional study on an exhaustive sample size of 15 vendors, and swabs of the equipment and work surfaces and chicken were taken for microbial analysis. An exhaustive sample size of 15 vendors was selected for the study. The results showed that most vendors operate under unhygienic conditions. Microbial results revealed that raw portions of chicken had the highest contamination with all the four tested microorganisms (p0.05) predict contamination with Campylobacter and Staphylococcus. Consequently, there is a need to regulate the informal food processing and marketing channels, besides trainings, infrastructural development, and code of practice and inspections which are recommended in order to enhance the quality and safety standards of street-vended chicken products