Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge Among Vegetable Handlers at Mile 12 Market, Lagos State

Mile 12 Market in Lagos State is Nigeria's largest fresh produce market, handling thousands of tonnes of vegetables daily. Vegetable handlers, including farmers, traders, and retailers, at this market play a critical intermediary role in the food supply chain. Their knowledge of food safety practices directly impacts the quality and safety of vegetables reaching consumers in Lagos and other states. This study assesses the food safety knowledge and practices of vegetable handlers at Mile 12 Market, focusing on hygiene practices, pesticide residue awareness, and post-harvest handling. A cross-sectional survey design was applied, with structured questionnaires administered to 150 purposively sampled vegetable handlers. Knowledge scores were computed and categorized as adequate or inadequate. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for analysis. Results indicate that 65 percent of respondents had inadequate knowledge of pesticide pre-harvest intervals, while over 70 percent engaged in unsafe washing practices using untreated water. Awareness of microbial contamination risks was low across all respondent categories. Education level and years of experience were significantly associated with food safety knowledge scores. The study recommends targeted food safety training programs for vegetable handlers at Mile 12 Market and greater regulatory presence by the Lagos State government in fresh produce markets. Keywords: food safety, vegetable handlers, Mile 12 Market, Lagos State, pesticide residue