Food vending safety concerns: Consumer perception on fresh coconut in New Juaben South Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

This study assessed the perception of consumers on the safety of fresh coconut in the New Juaben South Municipality of Ghana. A study was conducted with 35 coconut vendors and 210 consumers using purposive and accidental sampling techniques. Officials of the municipal food safety regulatory bodies were interviewed to get the institutional regulatory aspects of coconut vending. Descriptive statistics were processed from the survey data. Post-harvest, marketing and servicing activities of coconut vendors were identified as a major threat to food safety in the municipality. High awareness of the health benefits of tender coconut water accounts for its continuous consumption among consumers. A majority (36.2%) of consumers were of the view that vendor operations are likely to result in malaria outbreaks followed by Covid-19 infections (26.2%), cholera (20%) and dysentery (17.6%). Increased awareness through education for vendors and consumers and improved regulatory functions are recommended because of the cultural significance and health benefits of coconut consumption.

Keywords

• food safety
• coconut
• health benefits
• post-harvest activities
• marketing and servicing activities
• paring
• tender coconut water
• coconut vendors