Assessment of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Implementation and Associated Challenges among Food Handlers in Selected Food Establishments in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Food safety remains a public health concern, particularly in rapidly urbanizing settings where reliance on ready-to-eat meals increases the responsibility on food handlers to implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles consistently. Despite national and international food safety standards, gaps in implementation and compliance persist, elevating the risk of foodborne illnesses; this study assessed the HACCP-based food safety practices and identified implementation challenges among food handlers in selected food establishments in Ikorodu, Lagos State. Objective: To assess the level of implementation of HACCP-based food safety practices among food handlers and identify the challenges influencing effective implementation of HACCP principles in selected food establishments in Ikorodu, Lagos State. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted, involving 424 food handlers selected through a multi-stage sampling technique from 46 registered establishments comprising 18 eateries and 28 restaurants across the Ikorodu metropolis of Lagos State. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire based on HACCP principles and food safety standards and analyzed using descriptive statistics, modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors, and independent-samples t-test at a 5% level of significance. Results: The findings showed a high level of self-reported HACCP implementation, with an overall mean score of above 4.87 on a five-point scale. Modified Poisson regression showed that food handlers aged 24 years or younger had a significantly lower prevalence of high HCCP implementation than those aged 45 years or older (aPR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.51-0.97; p=0.032), while those aged 25-34 years also had a lower prevalence of implementation (aPR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.83-0.97; p=0.005). Food handlers working in eateries had a significantly higher prevalence of implementation than those in restaurants (aPR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.16; p=0.008). Training and capacity building were positively associated with adherence to HACCP-based practices. Structural challenge scores did not differ significantly between eateries and restaurants (p=0.224); however, operational challenge scores were significantly higher in eateries than in restaurants (4.71±0.46 versus 4.14±0.86; p<0.001). Conclusion: The study concluded that HACCP implementation was high but varied by age and establishment type and was constrained by operational pressures. It is recommended that regulatory authorities and establishment managers strengthen practical training, age-sensitive mentoring, supportive supervision, staffing, and establishment-specific operational controls to sustain verifiable food safety implementation.