Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Assessment of Regulated Premises: An Assessment of Standard Hotels in Ilorin Metropolis

Abstract

Food safety issues in developing countries are mostly centered on illnesses that are linked to poor hygiene but food hygiene in hotels remains an area of concern. Hospitality Industries are known to provide food, drink or accommodation to people who are away from home. Food poisoning can arise from public eating places like hotels and restaurants as a result unhygienic food preparation. The purpose of the study was to assess the HACCP compliance of standard hotels in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara state. Purposive sampling was used with laboratory component carried out in five standard hotels in Ilorin metropolis and the hotels with alphabets. Data were obtained through on-site observation using checklist and face to face interview.15 food samples (fried rice, white rice), 12 hand swab samples and 7 seven water samples were collected to determine the hygienic level of the food. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the results were presented using charts and tables. Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were isolated in various foods, water and hand swab. The total viable count was below 105CFU/g in all the seventeen (17) samples with 1.71 – 86.82 x 102 CFU in food, 1.65 – 12.2 x 102 CFU in hand swab and 10.63 23x102 CFU in water samples. From the findings, the food samples found to be within the marginal aerobic colony count limits according to the International Commission for Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICSMF, 1978). This implies that, though the food samples were within limits of acceptable microbiological quality, there might have been possible hygiene problems either in the preparation of the food or in handling of the food. From the checklist, it was revealed that majority (95%) of the hotels (B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I) did not meet the HACCP requirement. The study revealed that the concept of HACCP was not understood and that this could be impacting on the general food hygiene standards and food-handling practices of personnel. Therefore, there is need to implement HACCP system to prevent food poisoning outbreaks and the hotels can easily adapt the strategy only if law enforcers could put strict monitoring in place.