Microbiological Safety Assessment of ‘‘asaana’’, a Traditional Ghanaian Beverage

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Date
September, 2016
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Abstract
‘‘Asaana’’ is a refreshing drink made from maize. It is mostly produced on a fairly small scale and usually for local consumption at home or vended on the street. This study sought to assess the hygienic practices of ‘‘asaana’’ vendors as well as the microbial quality of ‘‘asaana’’ produced and sold by these vendors in some selected markets in the greater Accra region of Ghana. The study recruited 8 vendors using the random sampling method. A structured questionnaire and an observational checklist were used to gather data on the environmental and personal hygiene status of the vendors. Laboratory analysis of the microbial load of samples of the beverage collected from the vendors was also carried out. Results from the survey showed that all the respondents were females, 62% of them had no formal education, and 75% did not have any knowledge on food handling. Although all manufacturers washed hands before processing, they used normal soap instead of antibacterial soap. Also, 87.5% of food vendors used the same hands to serve and collect money and 75% were not medically certified to sell. The study revealed that of the 16 beverage samples collected, coliforms were isolated in 5 (31.3%), Escherichia coli in 1 (6.25%), Staphylococcus aureus in 3 (18.8%), yeast and moulds in 13 (81.3%) and 4 (25%) samples, respectively. Salmonella typhi was however not identified in any of the samples analyzed. Total mesophilic counts were found ranging from 2.49-5.01 log10 cfu/ml and 0-2.49 log10 cfu/ml for home and market beverages respectively while coliform counts ranged from 2.32-5.75 log10 cfu/ml and 0-3.5 log10 cfu/ml for home and market beverages respectively. The unhygienic processing of the beverage leads to bacterial contamination. Consuming such contaminated product may lead to foodborne illness. The study confirmed that there is a need for regular training and medical screening of street food vendors within the Metropolis to ensure the observance of food hygiene practices and increase consumer and regulatory demand for the assurance of safe food.
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A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Food Science and Technology,Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree of Master of Science in Food Quality Management.
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