Microbial contamination and contributing factors of fresh vegetables in South Gondar Zone Markets, Ethiopia.

Consumption of contaminated fresh vegetables causes infections and outbreaks. Microbial contamination of fresh vegetables poses significant public health risks globally, mainly from bacteria and parasites. The world health organization (WHO) estimates in each year, an estimated 600 million people worldwide-nearly 1 in 10-fall ill after consuming contaminated food, leading to 420,000 deaths. Notably, 30% of these foodborne deaths occur among children under 5 years of age. There is scanty of information on microbial contamination of vegetables at Regeopolitan city, South Gondar zone Amhara region, Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to identify the extent of microbial contamination in vegetables and its contributing factors. A laboratory study was conducted in Debre Tabor, Regeopolitan city, from May to July 2024, to assess microbial contamination in 120 vegetable samples (lettuce, cabbage, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, and green peppers) from five markets. Each 200 g sample was minced with sterile tools, soaked in 500 ml of 0.85% saline for 20 min, and agitated for 5 min. The washed solution was then transferred to test tubes for bacteriological and parasitological analyses using nutrient agars for microbial growth assessment. Vendor demographics and contamination risk factors were gathered via structured questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS version-28, using One-Way ANOVA for statistical insights. The study revealed that 33.3% of vegetables were contaminated with parasites, primarily Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica. Bacterial contamination levels (1.99 ± 0.19 log units) were significantly higher than yeast (0.94 ± 0.30 log units) and mold (0.90 ± 0.20 log units). Lettuce had the highest contamination rate at 25% (10 cases), followed by cabbage at 22.5% (9 cases).Vegetables sold at market points (AOR = 3.51), transported by human carriers (AOR = 17.8; 95% CI 12.54-22.93), and unsanitary vendor practices, such as untrimmed fingernails (AOR = 3.88; 95% CI 1.48-10.14) were significant factors for increased microbial contamination level of the vegetables. In Debre Tabor, Ethiopia, 33.3% of vegetable samples were contaminated with parasites, primarily Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica, and 18% with fecal coliforms. Urgent hygiene improvements and a One Health approach are essential to protect public health and childhood nutrition.