Title: Food Hygiene Knowledge, Personal Hygiene Practices, and Foodborne Risk Among Secondary School Students in Oyo East Local Government
Authors: Adeoye Sarah Adelayoš ,Agbaje Falilu Olanrewaju˛
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Pages: 10-19
Publication Date: 2026/05/28
Abstract:
This study investigated the statistical relationship between food hygiene knowledge, personal and environmental hygiene practices, and sources of food contamination among food vendors in ten government secondary schools in Oyo East Local Government Area (LGA), Oyo State, Nigeria. Employing a cross-sectional descriptive survey design with a structured questionnaire administered to 100 food vendors (10 per school) during the 2025 fieldwork period, the study utilised frequency counts, percentages, and Chi-square (?˛) analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that 95.2% of respondents demonstrated adequate knowledge of food hygiene measures, while 90.5% endorsed essential personal hygiene practices. Chi-square analysis confirmed statistically significant relationships across all three null hypotheses: food hygiene knowledge (?˛ = 198.56, df = 15, p < 0.05), personal and environmental hygiene practices (?˛ = 187.20, df = 21, p < 0.05), and sources of food contamination (?˛ = 134.88, df = 21, p < 0.05). Spatial disaggregation of data across urban-peripheral, semi-urban, and peri-urban school categories within the LGA revealed significantly lower hygiene practice compliance in peri-urban settings, attributable to structural infrastructure deficits. The study underscores the need for evidence-based, geographically targeted food safety interventions in government secondary schools across Nigeria.