Fresh Fruit Handling in Tamale and Sagnerigu Municipalities of Ghana: Challenges for Retailers and Implications on Consumer Health

Abstract

Fresh fruits are crucial sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but they encounter serious food safety hazards in developing urban environments. While fruit vending is widespread in Ghana, especially in the Tamale and Sagnerigu Municipalities, it generally involves informal practices, limited infrastructure, and poor knowledge of food safety standards. Such conditions increase the threat of microbial contamination, nutritional deterioration, and adverse health outcomes for consumers. This study addressed problems affecting retailers using fruit-handling practices found in Tamale and Sagnerigu to develop strategies to mitigate these risks affecting consumer health. The particular goals were to investigate handling practices and constraints, examine the health risks of poor handling, investigate consumers’ perceptions and awareness of fruit safety, and examine the relationships among handling practices, retailer adversity, and consumer health outcomes. The study design was a mixed-methods cross-sectional study that aimed to collect data from subjects at one point in time. The survey was distributed to 120 fruit retailers (70 in Tamale and 50 in Sagnarigu) and 200 consumers (120 in Tamale and 80 in Sagnarigu). The direct observation of vending practices was combined with a laboratory study of 60 fruit samples (35 Tamale, 25 Sagnarigu). Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics (summarizing details about the variables) and inferential statistics (drawing conclusions about the population from the sample), while qualitative data were obtained from interviews and thematic analysis (identifying similarities and themes). There was informal handling of fruit among retailers, most of whom (68%) did not have refrigeration, 74% had their fruit on display in open spaces, and 61% hand-washed with untreated water. Microbial analysis showed contamination, with Escherichia coli detected in 40% of samples and Salmonella found in 18%. Nutritional analysis found a 25–30% decrease in vitamin C content after 3 days when storage was under poor conditions. 82% of consumers valued fruits for nutritional benefits, but only 36% of consumers indicated being concerned that they may have contamination and used convenience and affordability in purchasing decisions. The challenges of dealing with fruits being handled in Tamale and Sagnerigu can be resolved with technical intervention and with policies. Recommended technical interventions include storage, hygiene training, and regular monitoring on laboratory sites. Policy interventions should emphasize regulatory strengthening, vendor licensing, and investment in market infrastructure. Adoption of these recommendations is anticipated to bolster food safety, protect public health, and restore confidence in local fruit markets.