Assessment of meat preservation methods used by retailers and the estimation of direct economic losses associated with meat spoilage in Kenya

Abstract

Meat spoilage reduces the meat quality and the revenue from the meat industry. This study assessedthe direct impact of ineffective meat preservation methods on economic loss among meat retailersin the Dagoretti region of Nairobi, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 87 butcheriesand 9 supermarkets from low, middle, and high-income areas using a systematic sampling technique.The meat losses were measured by kilograms of spoilt meat and associated financial cost wasestimated. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to establish the significance of theassociation between preservation and demographic factors. A correlation analysis was used toestimate the strength of the relationship between the factors. The study revealed that most of meathandlers heavily relied on refrigeration methods (73%) for storing meat, and 27% hung meat at roomtemperature due to the high cost of electricity and deep freezers. Furthermore, it revealed that eachmeat retail business lost 2.3 kg (1.0-3.0 kg) on average per week, which indicates financial losses ofUSD 11.5 (Range 5.0-15.0 USD) per week or USD 598 (Range USD 260-790) per year. These losseswere mainly associated with moisture loss (49%) and microbial spoilage (22%). Poor storage andmeat handling practices were blamed for spoilt meat. Meat retailers reported fly menace disturbingtheir business. It’s recommended that the government implement policies to reduce electricity billsand enhance the adoption of refrigeration methods, while industry stakeholders should facilitateinitiatives for public awareness on appropriate methods of meat preservation. Additionally, retailcut meat products on display should be wrapped with permeable film to reduce moisture loss. Furtherstudy is needed for a comprehensive analysis of direct economic losses segregated by meat typesand preservation forms.