THE COMPETENCE OF STREET FOOD VENDORS TO PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS AND SAFE FOOD TO CONSUMERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY AMONG STREET FOOD VENDORS IN NORTHERN GHANA

Abstract

Increasingly most people have their meals outside their homes and are vulnerable to illnesses caused by unsafe foods. Unsafe food preparation and supply by vendors have made food safety a concern for public health. The present study evaluated the nutrition knowledge, attitude and food safety and hygienic practices of street food vendors (SFVs) in Northern Ghana. An analytical cross-sectional study design was conducted among 424 SFVs, and the data were collected using questionnaires and observation. The mean ± SD nutrition knowledge score of the SFVs was 7⋅08 ± 1⋅75 in which the majority of the participants (68⋅6 %) knew foods that help fight diseases and build immunity. The mean ± SD food safety and hygienic practice score was 7⋅61 ± 2⋅66 with more than half of the participants reportedly not using hand gloves while preparing and serving food. Factors that were associated with food safety and hygienic practices of the SFVs were level of education (β = −0⋅36, P < 0⋅001), number of hours worked (β = 0⋅15, P = 0⋅002), food hygiene and safety knowledge (β = 0⋅21, P = 0⋅002), having a business certificate (β = −0⋅15, P = 0⋅004) and having medical check-up (β = 0⋅11, P = 0⋅029). The food safety and hygienic practices of the SFVs may constitute a food safety risk to consumers. Improving food safety and hygiene knowledge may be important but regular monitoring and check-up by the FDA could result in SFVs following the required food safety and hygienic practices.