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- Title
Survey of knowledge on calcium carbide use in fruit ripening and associated health risks among fruit sellers and consumers in Ado-Ekiti Nigeria.
- Authors
Orok, Edidiong; Okeke, Uchenna; Williams, Tonfamoworio; Adeniyi, Funmilayo; Ikpe, Favour; Femi-Oyewo, Mbang
- Abstract
Background: This study aimed to assess the methods used for ripening fruits by sellers and to examine the knowledge regarding the health risks associated with the use of calcium carbide (CaC2) among both fruit sellers and consumers in Ado-Ekiti. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire administered in major markets within Ado-Ekiti. Knowledge levels were categorized into good (> 70% score), fair (50–69% score), and poor (< 50% score). One way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Independent sample t-test was used to indicate knowledge score difference with respect to socio demographic characteristics. Results: The study involved 357 consumers and 20 fruit sellers, with a majority being females (54.9% of consumers; 80.0% of sellers) and aged predominantly between 18–27 years and 28–39 years. The findings revealed that the use of CaC2 (50%) and natural ripening methods (100%) were common among fruit sellers. Sellers cited cancer (60%), bacterial infections (35%), and chest tightness (15%) as associated risks with CaC2 usage. Similarly, consumers expressed concerns about consuming CaC2-ripened fruits, attributing risks such as abdominal burns (70%), cancer (70.6%), and diarrhoea (67.3%). A significant proportion of sellers (90%) exhibited poor knowledge regarding the risks associated with CaC2, while 24.6% of consumers demonstrated fair knowledge on the subject. Conclusion: The study identified common fruit ripening practices among sellers. Fruit sellers showed poor knowledge, while consumers displayed fair to poor understanding of health risks linked to calcium carbide use in artificial fruit ripening.
- Subjects
NIGERIA; TUMOR risk factors; BURNS &; scalds -- Risk factors; FRUIT physiology; BACTERIAL disease risk factors; HEALTH literacy; ETHYLENE glycols; RISK assessment; CROSS-sectional method; ABDOMEN; DIARRHEA; SCALE analysis (Psychology); HEALTH status indicators; T-test (Statistics); CHEST pain; CRONBACH'S alpha; FOOD consumption; QUESTIONNAIRES; FOOD safety; STATISTICAL sampling; RESEARCH evaluation; SALES personnel; CONSUMERS; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; CALCIUM compounds; ONE-way analysis of variance; TEST validity; SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors; DATA analysis software; CONFIDENCE intervals; PLANT physiology; DISEASE risk factors
- Publication
Discover Public Health, 2024, Vol 21, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
3005-0774
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/s12982-024-00149-2