| Sumario: | Developing countries have rules and regulations for assuring food safety; yet food-borne disease remains a
major cause of sickness and death. Approaches based on collective action and capacity strengthening could
complement traditional inspection and enforcement. We evaluated a participatory training intervention to
improve food safety among meat processors and retailers (butchers) in Bodija Market, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Butchers are traditionally self-organised into groups. An interactive training workshop was held for
group representatives who were selected to pass on information and training to their group. Meat hygiene
knowledge, attitude and practice was assessed before attending the workshop and afterwards (n=63). It was
also assessed for those who did not attend the workshop (n=68) but were intended recipients of training
through their group. Microbiological quality of meat was assessed before and after the workshop (n=400
samples). After the workshop, participants significantly improved knowledge, attitude and practice in key
food safety aspects; specifically, understanding sources of contamination and food-borne diseases, use
of bleach and disinfectant and hand-washing. Participants also shared information with an average of 18
other group members and improvements were seen in group members who did not attend the workshop
but received training through their group. Microbiological quality of meat sold also significantly improved
after the intervention. The intervention cost $8.82 per butcher reached and was estimated to reduce risk
of diarrhoea (costing patients $4.46 on average) by at least 5%. In conclusion, participatory, group-based
methods targeted at meat processors and retailers can improve meat hygiene knowledge, attitude and practice
as well as the microbiological quality and hence safety of meat.
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