Assessing the health conditions of fish shops in some municipalities of Greater Tripoli (Tripoli Center – Souq al-Jum’a – Tajoura) Exploratory field study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61952/jlabw.v2i4.658Keywords:
Food safety, fish, health conditions, fish shops, Tripoli municipalitiesAbstract
This study aimed to assess the health conditions of fish shops in several municipalities of Tripoli (Tripoli Center, Souq al-Jum'a, and Tajoura). A field survey was conducted using a standardized health assessment form covering general hygiene, fish storage methods, availability of water and sanitary equipment, employee adherence to health regulations, and sales and cleaning practices. Data was collected from 30 shops (10 in each municipality) and then analyzed descriptively and comparatively. The results showed a clear disparity in the level of health compliance among the municipalities. Tripoli Center recorded the highest overall rating, followed by Tajoura, while Souq al-Jum'a had the lowest average compliance, particularly regarding employee personal hygiene and waste disposal. The study recommends strengthening health monitoring, intensifying training programs, and standardizing assessment criteria to improve fish safety and protect public health.
References
Al-Kholy, A. M., Hassan, M. A., & El-Sayed, S. M. (2018). Hygienic practices and microbial quality of fish sold in retail markets. Journal of Food Safety, 38(2), 1–9.
Clayton, D. A., & Griffith, C. J. (2016). Observation of food safety practices in catering using notational analysis. British Food Journal, 108(3), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700610651006.
Codex Aliment Arius Commission. (2011). Code of practice for fish and fishery products. FAO/WHO.
FAO. (2020). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture: Sustainability in action. Rome.
Huss, H. H., Ababouch, L., & Gram, L. (2017). Assessment and management of seafood safety and quality. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 444.
Mensah, L. D., Yeboah-Manu, D., Owusu-Darko, K., & Ablordey, A. (2018). Street foods in Accra, Ghana: How safe are they? Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80(7), 546–554.
WHO. (2019). Food safety: Basic texts (6th ed.). World Health Organization, Geneva.
