ABSTRACT
Food
safety, nutrition, health and wellbeing are inextricably linked. This study investigated the environmental, awareness and practices amongst both
food vendors and consumers in and around Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone.
The population of the area has vastly out-grown the infrastructure laid down
before and since independence. De-centralization of authority to local councils
as recommended post-war has only been partial. The role of local versus central
government in the planning and maintenance of water, sanitation and market-infrastructure
and related policies was explored. This is a qualitative study
that used semi-structured
interviews with vendors, consumers and 29 key informants. Amongst an estimated population of 5386
actors in food services a sample size of 309 vendors, consumers in and around the 12
busiest market hubs in Western Area Urban and Rural Districts were sampled. Most of the
respondents described “food safety” as “good-to-eat, well taken care-off, and free from germs”. The respondents
cited that main causes to unsafe food are poor
hygienic practices: 38%, contamination by flies: 28%, uncovered food/ improper handling/poor
personal hygiene: 21%, and environmental factors, such as improper refuse
disposal: 11%. Respondents expressed that consuming unsafe foods can lead to
diarrhoea: 34%, food poisoning: 24%, vomiting: 17%, stomach ache/pain: 16%, or
typhoid: 9%. Various measures to improve food safety were cited as hand
washing: 60%, cleaning surroundings: 57%, covering food: 56%, washing utensils:
52%, covering hair: 42% and using a face
mask: 32%. However almost 76% of food vendors interviewed were trading
near gutters, where muddy/dirty water settled, with slippery floors, discarded
plastic waste, flies and inadequate water, sanitation, and/or storage
facilities. None of the food vendors had had any formal training on food
safety. Despite progress recently made in
solid and liquid waste management during the “Transform Freetown” agenda much more
improvement in infrastructure and behaviour
change is required. Similarly, despite improvements in formal market
facilities the pattern of informal street trading remains the most prevalent especially for the poor. The link between “safe
food” and good health was only partially understood, whilst the
widespread application of recommended practices to reduce risks was lacking due
in part to inadequate infrastructure. As the importance of food safety becomes
better understood by administrators and the public the investments required in
infrastructure and social and behavioural
change will contribute towards a healthier environment and outcomes.