Improving nutrition and food safety knowledge of small-scale fish processors in Delta State, Nigeria

Author

Grace Adeola Adegoye, Mississippi State UniversityFollow

ORCID

Grace Adeola Adegoye: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-7919

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Tolar-Peterson, Terezie T.

Committee Member

Mathews, Rahel

Committee Member

Silva, Juan L.

Committee Member

Evans, Marion W., Jr.

Committee Member

Cheng, Wen-Hsing

Date of Degree

5-13-2022

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Nutrition

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion

Abstract

Introduction: Fish is an affordable animal source food that provides nutrition and serves as a source of income for many people especially women in Nigeria. Smoking and sun drying are the processing methods in practice that expose the fish products to possible contaminants which may consequentially negate their nutritive value.

Aim: To improve the knowledge of fish processors on nutrition and safe fish handling.

Methodology: A 3-day participatory training was organized to train 122 fish processors, 95 women, and 25 men. The training was conducted in the three senatorial districts in Delta State, Nigeria. Knowledge was assessed using the pre and post quizzes and assessed self-evaluated knowledge using a 5 points-Likert scale survey. The training material was validated using the content validity index (CVI) and modified kappa index (k*). Comprehensibility was determined using the cloze procedure. Minimum dietary diversity survey (MDDW) was used to determine the dietary diversity of women at baseline and 12 weeks after the training. Low literacy tools and the overall training were evaluated on Likert scales.

Results: The developed seven-module nutrition and food safety flipbook were validated at a content validity index value of 0.983 and kappa index value ≥ 0.67., and the cloze score of 72.1%. There was a significant improvement in knowledge (p ≤.05) in the 7 modules taught. Wristbands and hand fans were rated useful and served as a reminder of nutrition values. There was no significant difference (p > .05) between the dietary diversity at the baseline; 5.8 ±.22 and end-line; 6.4 ±.20 at 95% CI. However, the number of women that consumed ≥ 6 of 10 food groups increased by 9.8% after 12 weeks of training intervention.

Conclusion: The developed and validated training material was considered culturally suitable and appropriate. There was an increase in knowledge acquired in all modules taught on nutrition and food safety. Consumption of animal source food increased post-training. However, there is a need for additional training to address food contamination and dietary diversification.

Recommended Citation

Adegoye, Grace Adeola, "Improving nutrition and food safety knowledge of small-scale fish processors in Delta State, Nigeria" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 5474.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/5474