Escherichia Coli, Foodborne Diseases, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Microbial Contamination, S. Aureus, Street Vended Foods, Total Viable Count
Conditions
Keywords
Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Food borne illness, Food safety, Food borne infection, Food poisoning, S. aureus, E. coli, Bacterial contamination, Bacterial load
Brief summary
This study will employ a randomized controlled intervention design to evaluate the health impacts of consuming fresh-cut street-vended fruits, focusing on microbial contamination and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. A total of 300 participants will be recruited and divided into treatment (consuming guava, pineapple, or watermelon) and control groups (no fruit consumption). Fruit samples will be analyzed for microbial contamination, including S. aureus and E. coli, using standard microbiological and molecular techniques. Data on GI symptoms will be collected through questionnaires and analyzed using statistical methods, such as Chi-square tests, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards regression. Spearman correlation will identify associations between bacterial presence and specific symptoms. Ethical approval will be obtained, and participant safety will be prioritized. Analytical tools, including IBM SPSS, RStudio, and PyCharm, will be utilized for the analyses.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Guava Consumption
Participants eat a defined portion of guava.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Pineapple Consumption
Participants consumed fresh-cut pineapple purchased from street vendors. Health outcomes, including potential microbial contamination and GI symptoms, were assessed for five days after consumption.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Watermelon Consumption
Fresh-Cut Watermelon Consumption Description: Participants consumed fresh-cut watermelon obtained from street vendors. GI symptoms and microbial contamination effects were monitored for five days following consumption.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Guava Consumption (With Gastric Acidity)
Same as intervention 2, but in participants with acidity
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Pineapple Consumption (With Gastric Acidity)
Same as intervention 3, but in participants with acidity.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFresh-Cut Watermelon Consumption (With Gastric Acidity)
Same as intervention 4, but in participants with acidity.
Sponsors
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
This study employs a randomized controlled intervention design with a parallel assignment model to evaluate the health impacts of consuming fresh-cut street-vended fruits, focusing on microbial contamination and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. A total of 300 participants will be assigned to one of seven arms: two treatment arms with 75 participants each (one with gastric acidity problems and one without), subdivided into three subgroups based on the type of fruit consumed (guava, pineapple, and watermelon). Additionally, a control group of 75 participants will not consume any fresh-cut street-vended fruits and will follow their usual dietary habits. The primary aim is to assess the microbial load (Total Viable Count, S. aureus, and E. coli) on fruits and its association with the development of GI symptoms. The study will employ statistical analysis techniques, including chi-square tests, relative risk analysis, and correlation studies, to evaluate the impact of fruit consumption on
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Individuals aged 18-60 years. * Residents of Mymensingh District, Bangladesh. * Willing to consume fresh-cut street-vended fruits (guava, pineapple, or watermelon) for five consecutive days. * Individuals with a self-reported history of gastric acidity issues (for the gastric acidity arms). * Individuals with no history of gastric acidity (for the non-gastric acidity arms). * Participants who have not taken antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), or antacids in the last two weeks. * Willing to provide detailed information on their dietary habits and gastrointestinal symptoms through surveys/questionnaires. * Participants who provide informed consent for participation.
Exclusion criteria
* Individuals under 18 years or over 60 years. * Pregnant or lactating women. * Those with a diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder (e.g., peptic ulcer disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease). * Individuals with a history of chronic infections or immune-compromising conditions (e.g., HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes). * Participants who have taken antibiotics, PPIs, or antacids within the last two weeks. * Individuals with known allergies to guava, pineapple, or watermelon. * Those who refuse to consume fresh-cut fruits from street vendors. * Participants who do not provide informed consent or are unable to complete the study period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Among Participants After Consumption of Fresh-Cut Fruits | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 10 days |
Countries
Bangladesh
Outcome results
None listed