Microbes in Street-Vended Fishballs and Dipping Sauce: Implications to Young Learners’ Health and Nutrition

Abstract

This study analyzed the microbial aspects of street-vended fishballs and dipping sauce and their implications to schoolchildren’s health and nutrition. This study employed mixed design. Quantitative method was used to determine the microbial count of street-vended fishballs and its dipping sauce using an aerobic plate count (APC) and Escherichia coli plate count to determine the number of Escherichia coli bacteria in every sample. Qualitative method was employed to health professionals using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to determine the perceived effects of too much intake of street-vended fishballs and dipping sauce as well as the suggested Health Education Campaign to disseminate proper information about the risk of eating street-vended foods.

The study revealed that, (1) the dipping sauces had Aerobic Plate Count of: Sample A, 3.82x10⁴ CFU/g; Sample B, <1 CFU/g; Sample C, 8.14x10³and Sample D, 2.09x10⁴CFU/g. The street-vended fishballs results were: Sample A, Sample B, Sample C and Sample D had all the same count of <1 CFU/g; (2) the fried fishballs and dipping sauce had <1 CFU/ g on all Escherichia coli plate counts; (3) the acceptable level of Escherichia coli  bacteria was within 10 - 10² CFU/g; (4) the perceived effects were food-borne diseases such as acute gastro-enteritis, diarrhea and urinary tract infection (UTI), Hepatitis, kidney problems and in a long-term effects malnutrition and colon cancer; (5) health education campaigns were: inclusion to conduct of seminars on hygienic and sanitary practices in preparing foods, giving consumers separate sauce, and taking personal hygiene for street food vendors. An Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material through health awareness brochure about eating street-vended foods was crafted and dissemination of such would constitute a component of future Community Extension and Research endeavors.