Depatment of Food and Nutrition

Perception of consumers towards locally produced convenience food products in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa

2026-03-16T13:48:08Z

Perception of consumers towards locally produced convenience food products in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Aseidu, V.E. Convenience foods have become widely popular, especially among the working class, teenagers, students, bachelors and families in Ghana. Ghanaian consumers exhibit varied behavior toward locally produced convenience foods. While certain products in this category enjoy widespread acceptance and steady patronage, others fail to attract similar interest. In this context, the study aimed at assessing consumer behaviour towards locally produced convenience food products. Descriptive survey design was adopted. The consumers were sampled from the major markets in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District in the Central Region. Based on the table developed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970), the sample size determined was 360. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The study found that consumers' perception towards locally produced convenience food products is positive. The finding showed that price of convenience food, time saving in cooking process, and availability of convenience foods influenced consumers purchase of locally produced convenience food products. It was evident that the age group (F(df)=52.501, P=0.000<0.01), marital status (F(df) 77.839, P=0.000<0.01), and income (F(df)=23.746, P=0.000<0.01) were significantly related to consumers buying behaviour towards locally produced convenience food products. It was concluded that consumer perception has a direct impact on the buying behaviour of consumers towards locally produced convenience food product. It was recommended that Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) must ensure manufacturers to improve upon the quality of local convenience food products so as to raise the confidence level of local consumers and to also enable the industries fully compete with the international firms. Also, the government of Ghana should revamp its campaign on “buy made in Ghana goods” and local food industries must join hands with the government in this direction. A thesis in the Department of Food and Nutrition Education, Faculty of Health, Allied Sciences and Home Economics Education, Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Food and Nutrition) in the University of Education, Winneba JANUARY, 2024

Heavy metal migration, exposure, and health risk through canned tomato mix under different marketing display models.

2026-02-23T11:09:43Z

Heavy metal migration, exposure, and health risk through canned tomato mix under different marketing display models. Kangre, R.Y. Canned tomato products are popular for their convenience, long shelf life, and nutritional benefits. However, concerns about heavy metals leaching from can linings pose health risks. This study examined lead (Pb) and tin (Sn) migration in canned tomato mix under different marketing conditions (sunlight exposure and enclosed shops). Utilizing a cross-sectional analytical design, 32 canned tomato mixes were sampled from the Effutu Municipality, and 400 University of Education, Winneba students were surveyed on consumption habits. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed to measure Pb and Sn concentrations. The entire study received the approval of the Ghana Health Service (GHS-ERC: 043/06/23). The results revealed that while heavy metal levels were within regulatory limits, sunlightexposed products had higher Lead contamination (0.052±0.12 mg/kg) than those in enclosed shops (0.038±0.02 mg/kg). Tin levels remained consistent between both conditions. Consumption data showed a preference for using canned tomato mix in Jollof rice, stew, and soup, with higher rates among females. The hazard quotient (HQ) for Pb was higher in sunlight-exposed products for both males (0.052) and females (0.093) compared to enclosed shops. Chronic daily intake (CDI) of Pb was higher in products exposed to sunlight, with males consuming 0.00052 mg/kg-d and females 0.00063 mg/kg-d. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for Pb exceeded acceptable thresholds, with the maximum and 95th percentile values ranging from 3.28 x10-6 to 6.29 x10-6 indicating long-term health concerns. The study underscores the need for stricter regulations and increased consumer awareness to reduce heavy metal exposure in canned foods, supporting improved food safety standards in retail environments. A thesis in the Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Health, Allied Sciences and Home Economics, Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Master of Philosophy (Food and Nutrition) In the University of Education, Winneba

Heavy metal migration, exposure, and health risk through canned tomato mix under different marketing display models.

2026-02-23T11:09:26Z

The contribution of healthy eating practices towards the survival of breast cancer patient

2026-02-23T10:49:43Z

The contribution of healthy eating practices towards the survival of breast cancer patient Asamoah, G. B. The purpose of this study was to examine and expound the contribution of healthy eating practices towards the health status of breast cancer patients. The research design adopted for the study was the cross sectional survey and the purposive and convenience sampling methods were adopted to derive a sample size of ninety (90) breast cancer patients, who visit the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment. A structured questionnaire and an interview guide was employed to gather the relevant data for the study. The SPSS Version 21 was used to analyse the data collected. Results of the study revealed that the level of knowledge of the breast cancer patients on both nutrition and breast cancer was low. Moreover, the results of the study revealed that certain factors especially the price of the food influenced food choice and so there was not very significant change in the participants eating habits. Additionally, the findings of the study revealed that foods such as cereals, fruits, low-fat foods, sugar-free fluids/drinks and herbal tea, less salty and spicy foods, vegetables and high fibre content foods helped in the management of breast cancer. Physical activity was also found to be associated with less fatigue, improved energy level, improved appetite for food, healthy weight and sound sleep among the breast cancer patients. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended among other things that the Ministry of Health (MOH) should collaborate with the various cancer treatment centres in Ghana as well as other stakeholders in the health sector, and educate breast cancer patients on nutrition and its benefit to Breast Cancer. This, together with the knowledge on nutrition, will guide women, particularly breast cancer patients in making healthy food choices at all times and also reduce complications of other chronic disease associated with the disease. A thesis in the Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Science, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Philosophy (Home Economics) JANUARY, 2020