Indoor Air Quality and Sanitary Conditions in Selected Food Vending Premises at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and non-conformity with acceptable sanitary practices compromise integrity of food and people’s health. Studyon nature of indoor air required to institute indoor air quality control regime is lacking in University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. This study assessed IAQ and sanitary conditions in selected food vending premises at UCH, Ibadan. A descriptive cross-sectional design involving fourteen consented food premises was adopted. Indoor air (kitchen and dining hall) was monitored for Relative Humidity (RH) and temperature using Multi-Tester N21FR. Particulate matter (PM ), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide 10 (CO ), Total Bacterial Counts (TBC) and Total Fungal Counts (TFC) 2 were measured using Single Channel Particle Counter, CO-meter, and CO-meter and TE–10–890 Single Stage air sampler 2 respectively. Measurements were taken thrice daily for 8 weeks. Data obtained were compared with WHO guideline limits.Using an observational checklist, building facilities were assessed; while hygiene characteristics were scored on a 50-point scale as unsatisfactory (=25) and satisfactory (>25). Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation at p = 0.05. Mean RH, temperature, PM and CO at kitchen (73.1±7.0%, 10 o 3 28.7±2.2 C, 59.3±30.2µg/m and 10.1±12.9ppm) and dining hall o 3 (72.4±7.6%, 29.1±2.3 C, 58.7±29.4µg/m and 0.1±0.7ppm) respectively exceeded guideline limits. Mean CO TBC and TFC at 2, kitchen (472.3±131.4ppm, 198.0±114.5cfu/m and 3 3 57.9±17.7cfu/m ) and dining hall (461.7±127.6ppm, 3 3 189.2±84.0cfu/m and 57.6±17.2cfu/m ) respectively were within acceptable limits. The premises lacked toilet (85.7%); potable water (42.9%); appropriate refuse bin (28.6%) and hand-washing equipment (35.7%). About 29.0% of the premises had unsatisfactory hygiene score. Significant negative correlation existed between hygiene score and CO (r = -0.111), CO (r = -0.064), TBC (r = -0.144) 2 and TFC (r = -0.136). Unsatisfactory sanitary conditions contributed to higher levels of indoor air quality parameters. Routine air monitoring programmes and sanitary inspection of the premises are advocated