HYGIENE PRACTICES OF TABLE EGGS AT DIFFERENT WET MARKET IN SHER-E-BANGLA NAGAR AREA OF DHAKA NORTH CITY CORPORATION: A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN

Abstract

The study was carried out at different wet market of table eggs in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of Dhaka North City Corporation focusing on the hygienic practice of table egg vendors. It was done by survey and lab test of microbiological analysis of eggshell surface. A questionnaire was used that included the knowledge about food hygiene, egg handling, collection, transportation, storage, disposal procedure etc. Survey findings revealed that, most of the vendors of the selected area completed primary education level (52%), whereas only 6% completed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), 34% completed Secondary School Certificate (SSC), and the rest 8% were illiterate. Although many of them were literate, their knowledge about food hygiene was found to be very poor. The results showed that, only 4% vendors wash their hands before and after handling of egg where 96% vendors didn’t wash hands before and after handling of eggs. It also revealed that, only 6% vendors dumped the broken eggs into drain whereas most of the vendors (94%) sold the broken eggs to customer, hotel and restaurant. So, there was a great chance of spreading the diseases if the eggs were contaminated. After completing the survey, laboratory test was conducted to find out pathogen presence in eggshell surface. Different egg samples were collected from different wet market of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area and analyzed for Total Salmonella Count (TSC) and Total Coliform Count (TCC) in egg shell surface. These microbial test was performed to enumerate bacterial load and to determine the contamination and unhygienic conditions of egg handling. A total of 50 eggs (25 dirty & 25 clean eggs) were subjected to identify the presence of bacteria on eggshell surface. The highest value of TSC, TCC of both dirty eggs and clean eggs of eggshell were log 6.3, log 6.34, log 5.00, and log 5.11, respectively. The bacterial load was found highest in dirty eggs compared to clean eggs. Therefore, good hygienic practice is essential for safe handling of eggs. For this reason, appropriate action should be taken among the egg vendors as soon as possible by the government, particularly by the municipal authority.