EVALUATION OF PARASITIC CONTAMINATION OF SOME RAW VEGETABLE IN KASUWAN DAJI MARKET, SOKOTO STATE

Abstract

Vegetables are essential compound of human diet, providing vital nutrient and health benefits, poor agricultural practices and unhygienic handling exposed vegetable to various parasitic contamination. This study investigate parasitic contamination of vegetables sold at Kasuwan Daji Market, Sokoto. A cross-sectional sampling of commonly consumed vegetables was conducted, and samples were examined for the presence of parasites by parasitological techniques. The results revealed notable levels of contamination, with Lettuce showing the highest prevalence of 18(100%), followed by Spinach 16(88.8%) and Cabbage 13(72.2%). Identified parasites included Ascaris lumbricoides 20(28.2%), Giardia lamblia 11(15.4%) Entamoeba histolytica 10(14.0%), Trichuris trichura 9(12.7%), Cryptosporidium 8(11.3%),Ancylostoma duodenale 7(9.9%), Stronglyloides stercaralis 6(8.5%), indicating the presence of both protozoa and helminths. The result based on the vegetable hygiene by the vendors showed that 33.3% of vendors placed their vegetable on bench while 66.7% placed their vegetable on bare land. Also 79.6% do no wash vegetables before sale and only 20.4% do wash vegetables before sale. The findings identified that poor hygiene practices, inadequate washing, and exposure to contaminated water or soil contribute to the contamination burden. The study underscores the need for improved vegetable handling practices and increased public health awareness to reduce the risk of foodborne infections.