Hygiene Alert- How safe are Street fruits?

Apr 04, 2010

UGANDANS are good at adventure. Some will venture into anything.<br>According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2004, over one in three adult Ugandans is engaged in some form of entrepreneurial activity, resulting in Uganda being the second most entrepreneurial country in the world.

By Winnie Nanteza

UGANDANS are good at adventure. Some will venture into anything.
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2004, over one in three adult Ugandans is engaged in some form of entrepreneurial activity, resulting in Uganda being the second most entrepreneurial country in the world.

Lately, there is a surge in fruit vending. The fruits are peeled, cut into small pieces and packed in containers or polythene bags. Vendors charge between sh500 to sh1,000 for a pack comprising a variety of fruits and sh200 for a slice of pineapples or watermelon.

Many people are willing to buy the fruits because they are ready to eat.
Ronald Mukasa, a resident of Kalerwe, says he sells 20 sugarcanes everyday. He makes a profit of sh2,500 from one sugarcane.

But when all is good for the businessman and the customer is not complaining, how many people hesitate to buy the fruits, citing hygienic problems?

Juliet Nakato says she stopped eating food sold on streets when a vendor sold to her fruits with a fly.
Paul Luyima, a health consultant, says food should not be sold on streets and health inspectors should monitor the hygiene of vendors.

He says fruits sold on the streets pause a public health concern because none of the vendors is examined. He says although doctors reccommend that one includes fruits in their diet, the health risks of fruits sold on the streets outweighs the health benefits. Many vendors use dirty water from trenches to wash the fruits, while others preserve their fruits in Nakivubo channel.

During preparation and packaging, germs can be transferred from one’s hands to the fruits. Diseases like cholera, food poisoning and ebola can be contracted from contaminated fruits.

Luyima says the cost of treatment depends on the health dfacility. However treatment is free at government facilities.

Dr. Alfred Kajjimu, a nutritionist, says fruits sold in packed containers are not safe either. Kajjimu says people should not be blinded by the packaging because a closed container is no guarantee that the fruits are as safe. Some fruits rot before they are sold.

He says one can tell stale fruits from their stench and taste. For instance, a stale pineapple tastes like alcohol. Some fruits change colour and become softer and spongy when stale.

Kajjimu says one can contract foodborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea.

“Fruits get contaminated when pealed and left uncovered, especially when flies fall on them. Fruits also get contaminated when placed in a contaminated container,” Kajjimu says.

If not washed properly, raw fruits and vegetables can cause intestinal parasties (worms). Luyima says, many times, the body is able to recover after a short period of acute discomfort and illness.

However, foodborne illness can result in permanent health problems or death, especially for babies, the elderly, sick and people with a weak immune system. Pregnant women can also pass on the infection to the foetus.

John Lule, the chief health inspector of Kampala City Council, says although they usually clump down on vendors, they (vendors) are elusive and always resume business whenever City Council relaxes.

Lule says fruit vendors litter the city with filth, contributing to diseases like diahorhea and dysentry.

He says vendors should be sent off the streets or their hygiene checked regularly. Good hygiene practices before, during and after fruit preparation, can reduce the chances of contracting illnesses.

“Hand-washing is one of the most effective defenses against the spread of foodborne illnesses,” Kajjimu says.
Symptoms of an infection begin several hours and can last for days after consumption. These include:
Vomiting
Nausea
Diarrhoea
Abdominal cramps
Dizziness
Fever
Fatigue

How to handle and store fruits
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables
Buy only the amount you can eat within a few days

Handle fruits gently to avoid bruising
Refrigerate fruits

Wash your hands and use clean utensils when cutting or eating fruits
Rinse, wash and chill fruits with clean water

Store cut fruits in a covered container in the refrigerator

Throw away fruits that have been out of the refrigerator for more than four hours.

The most contaminated fruits and vegetables:
Peaches
Celery
Apples
Sweet peppers
Cherries
Grapes
Pears
Potatoes
Raspberries
Spinach
l Strawberries.

The least contaminated fruits and vegetables
Avocado
Bananas
Brocolli
Cauliflower
Sweet corn
Mangoes
Onions
Pawpaws
Pineapples
Sweet peas
Online sources


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