Current Facts About the Animal Food Products Safety Situation in Nigeria

Abstract

The production, handling, sales, and consumption of poor quality animal food products are serious public health problems in Nigeria traceable to the underdeveloped status of livestock producers, marketers, meat processors, quality regulating agencies, and consumers. Operational research and published information about the quality status, consequence of contaminated animal food products on human health, the economics, and socio-cultural factors inhibiting change in the country are scanty and fragmented. The present report establishes some aspects of the quality status of animal food products as well as the need to investigate the socio-cultural facts and statistics about the status of animal food products production, handling, and consumption and their impact on human health in the country. It further highlights the major research issues that need to be addressed in order to generate relevant information for intervention and containment of the problem and its health risks.

Keywords:

• Animal food products
• livestock
• meat processing
• slaughterhouse
• meat handling
• meat inspection
• public health
• consumer awareness
• Nigeria

Notes

Aladi, N. O. 1999. Current trends in the production, handling and sales of meat in Nigeria. B. Agricultural Project Report, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

Catley, A. P. (1992). A report on the prevalence and zoonotic implications of bovine tuberculosis in Tanzania. Report to the Center for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (CTVM), Edinburgh and Sokoine University, Morogoro, Tanzania.

F.A.O. (1998). World production of animal proteins and need for new approach FAO of UN. Rome, Animal Agriculture (AGA): American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 98.

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, (1995). Summary of the status of animal diseases in Nigeria. Federal Livestock Department (FLD) Abuja, Nigeria.

Nigerian National Population Commission (NNPC) (1991). National population census intern results. Abuja, Nigeria.

Nwokeocha, J. R. (2000). Analysis of meat inspection records for Imo State from 1995–1999. B. Agricultural Project Report, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) (2005). Standard for classification of chicken eggs. Nigerian Industrial Standard Draft, Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS), Nigeria: 2005.