Survey to establish the factors that predispose meat to contamination and unwholesomeness and the economic losses in butcheries in Kidera Town Council, Nkondo Sub County, Buyende District

Abstract

With an ever-increasing population, more food is needed which includes high-quality foods like meat. Unlike most of the well-developed western countries where different raw meat products are purchased from supermarkets, in Uganda and most of the parts of Africa raw meat is usually purchased from meat selling points or butcheries. A cross-sectional study was done to identify the main factors and practices that predispose meat purchased from butcheries to unhygienic and unwholesome conditions and to identify the different ways through which financial losses occur due to poor quality meat and butchery hygiene. Thirty-four butcheries were sampled. Most butcheries (94.1%) used motorcycles as a means of transportation of meat. Smaller number of butcheries (29.4%) did not conform to hygienic standards and a few butcheries (5.9%) transported meat in boxes. Only 35.3% of the butcheries had meat exposed to flies and dust. A small number of butcheries (23.5%) did not use soap to wash their hands after visiting the toilets whereas most (86%) had never received any training in meat handling practices. Predominant financial losses were associated disposal of spoilt meat (62%). The factors and practices that contributed to the unwholesomeness of meat products sold in butcheries were poor facility construction and poor personnel and facility hygiene. Losses were due to poor meat and facility hygiene and discarding of spoilt meat products. Considering these factors, it was recommended that meat sellers be medically examined and be trained in handling meat hygienically and that inspection of meat facilities and enforcement of hygiene standards be made more thorough by government officials.