Parasitological Assessment of Ready to eat Fruits and Vegetables at a selected Market in Malete, Kwara state, Nigeria
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Date
2024
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Abstract
Food borne illnesses majorly result from poor hygiene practices and unsanitary conditions especially at fruits and vegetable selling points. We aimed
to assess the hygiene status as well as parasite contamination in fruit and vegetables sold at Malete in Kwara state, Nigeria. Four (4) samples each of
ready-to-eat vended fruits and vegetables which include; water melon, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, banana and garden egg, and two (2) samples each
of orange and pineapple were purchased from different fruits sellers in Malete. The parasite contamination of fruits was examined using standard
centrifugal sedimentation methods. The helminth egg, larva, cast, and cyst were identified by using distilled water and saline as a floating medium,
staining them with dobell's iodine, and examining them with an x40 objective lens. A total of four (4) parasite worms were identified as: Ascaris
lumbriocoides (68.63%), Entamoeba coli (4.54%), Entamoeba histolytical (18.18%) and Paragonimous westermani (9.09%) from the fruit samples
studied. Carrots and tomatoes show the highest contamination with 91.66% and 83.33%, banana and cucumber show lowest contamination (56.25%
and 50%) among the samples, while orange and pineapple show no contamination among samples. Fruits and vegetables that are offered at the
vendors are not pathogen-free, as evidenced by the organisms that were isolated from them. Thus, there is a risk of parasite infection if these fruits and
vegetables are consumed raw without being thoroughly cleaned. The results and recommendations of this study are anticipated to be put into practice
in order to reduce the any risk of contracting parasite infections among the populace