Hygiene practices of food of animal origin operators in primary schools in the Mono Department of Benin. A cross-sectional study

Eustache C Hounkpe; Philippe Sessou; Souaïbou Farougou; Ignace Dotche; Georges Daube; Véronique Delcenserie; Paulin Azokpota; Nicolas Korsak

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17135

Hygiene practices of food of animal origin operators in primary schools in the Mono Department of Benin. A cross-sectional study

Heliyon. 2023 Jun 14;9(6):e17135. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17135. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Eustache C Hounkpe^{1

2}, Philippe Sessou¹, Souaïbou Farougou¹, Ignace Dotche³, Georges Daube², Véronique Delcenserie², Paulin Azokpota⁴, Nicolas Korsak²

Affiliations

¹ Communicable Diseases Research Unit, Applied Biology Research Laboratory, Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 P.O Box 2009 Cotonou, Benin.
² Department of Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH-Veterinary Public Health, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, 10 Avenue of Cureghem, Sart-Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgium.
³ Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Meat Technology, Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 P.O Box 2009 Cotonou, Benin.
⁴ School of Nutrition, Food Sciences, And Technology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 03 P.O Box 2819, Cotonou, Benin.

Abstract

Food of animal origin is an important source of proteins for human beings. However, they are subject to microbial contamination. It is essential to ensure the safety of food products intended for school children regarding their vulnerability to food poisoning. Good sanitary quality of these products requires the respect of good practices during their processing and distribution. This study aims to evaluate the conditions of processing and sale of food of animal origin to school children in public schools, with or without canteens, in the Department of Mono in southern Benin. In the Department of Mono in the Republic of Benin, 137 operators were interviewed in public schools, with one operator per school, using a questionnaire created on the Epicollect5 platform. The interview showed that the operators involved in the processing and sale of food to school children were women. Most of these operators had primary education and did not undergo a medical examination. They transported food of animal origin mixed with other types of food. Frying and cooking were used to prepare or process the food. Direct observation revealed that food is produced in an unhealthy environment. The operators did not wear gloves during food processing but some wore aprons. All the operators washed their hands with soap and water (tap or well water) after using the toilet. There was not an adequate handwashing facility. The majority of operators used wooden cutting boards. Overall, food operators especially in schools without a canteen do not follow good hygiene and manufacturing practices in the kitchen. To guarantee food safety for school children, training should be organized to make operators aware of good hygiene and manufacturing practices in kitchens.

Keywords: Food of animal origin; Food safety; Good hygiene and production practices; Survey.