Food Safety Knowledge Among Meat Sellers at Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State

This study evaluates the food safety knowledge and hygiene practices of meat sellers operating in Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, located in Nigeria's South East geopolitical zone. Meat handling at retail level is a critical control point in the food safety chain, and knowledge deficits among meat traders can lead to contamination of products reaching consumers. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, structured questionnaires were administered to 120 meat sellers in the butchery and processed meat sections of Onitsha Main Market. Questions assessed knowledge of meat spoilage signs, personal hygiene practices, storage conditions, cross-contamination risks, and awareness of zoonotic diseases transmissible through meat. Observational checklists were also used to document hygiene practices at meat stalls. Findings revealed that only 34 percent of respondents demonstrated adequate food safety knowledge as defined by a validated scoring instrument. Temperature management for meat storage was poorly understood, with 78 percent of respondents storing meat at ambient temperature for extended periods. Hand-washing between meat handling and money handling was practised by only 28 percent of observed sellers. Awareness of bovine tuberculosis and Salmonella as meat-associated health risks was limited to 22 and 18 percent of respondents respectively. The study recommends targeted food safety training for meat traders, provision of basic hygiene infrastructure at market stalls, and regular market-level inspections by state veterinary public health officers. Keywords: food safety, meat sellers, market hygiene, Anambra State, zoonosis.