Parasitic Contamination in Ready-to-Eat Salads in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana
Published: 2020-04-02
Page: 323-333
Issue: 2019 - Volume 2 [Issue 4]
Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds *
Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
Denis Dekugmen Yar
Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
Vincent Aboagye
Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
Isaac Monney
Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
Francis Nuamah
Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
Emmanuel Awimbe Ndego
Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box 40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Globally, vegetables have become an essential part of the human diet due to their high nutritional benefits. They are usually eaten raw or partially cooked and therefore could become vehicles for transmission of food-borne illness. This study therefore assessed parasitic contamination of ready-to-eat vegetable salads from street vended foods in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the level of parasitic contamination of ready-to-eat vegetable salads in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana. A total of 313 ready-to-eat vegetable salads were randomly sampled, washed with physiological saline solution using concentration method and microscopically examined.
Results: Of the 313 samples examined, about a third (32%) was contaminated with at least one parasite. Overall, twelve genera of parasites were recovered with Giardia lamblia (6.7%), Entamoeba histolytica (6.4%) and Moniezia spp. (4.2%) predominating. Other parasites detected included Trichuris trichiura (3.8%) and Entamoeba coli (3.5%), with the rest recording low prevalence (<2%).
Conclusion: The presence of intestinal parasites point to a risk of food-borne illnesses from consumption of street-vended vegetable salads. Vegetable salads were found to be a potential source of parasitic infections.
Keywords: Vegetable salads, parasites, contamination, Accra metropolis.