Examining The Hygiene Practices Among Street Food Vendors In Nsawam And Adoagyir

ABSTRACT The vending of food on the street is considered an important part of the economies of many developing countries due to its socio economic benefits. In Ghana, the sector provides both direct and indirect employment as well as incomes to many people in urban and mediumsized towns. Despite its importance, many have expressed concerns over the hygiene, quality and safety of street foods. Many have also associated street foods with food poisoning and other food-borne diseases. In order to reap the full benefits of this growing sector in developing countries, there is need to fully understand the sector and issues of hygiene and safety addressed. However, many studies in this sector tend to focus on urban and large cities to the neglect of rural and semi-urban areas. This study therefore set out to examine the hygiene and safety practices among street food vendors and the factors that inform these practices in a medium-sized town (Nsawam and Adoagyiri) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The mixed methods research approach was adopted and a total of 72 respondents sampled using a purposive/judgmental sampling method. Primary data was gathered using semistructured questionnaires, qualitative/ in-depth interviews, and direct observation. Findings of the study shows that street food business in Nsawam and Adoagyiri is female dominated and that most vendors had formal education, with 70% having Junior High school education and above. However, only 12% of the vendors had formal knowledge/training in food safety, handling and cooking. It was found that poor hygienic practices exist among food vendors in Nsawam and Adoagyiri during food preparation and sale. Most do not wash their hands during food preparation and sale. They also use their bare hands to serve customers while using those same hands to receive money. Among factors contributing to improper hygienic and safety practices were; lack of formal knowledge/training in food safety, handling and cooking skills among both vendors and their support staffs, poor infrastructural and social amenities such as pipe borne water, modern toilet facilities, waste collection services and xiv electricity, poor monitoring and controls of vendors activities, and ineffective enforcement of rules and regulations governing street food vending by local authorities at Nsawam and Adoagyiri. The study recommends that: district assemblies should establish food vending sites with good social amenities and infrastructure such as portable water, modern toilet facilities, waste collection services and electricity in their various jurisdictions. They also need to provide capacity building and logistics for departments and units tasked with regulating the street food sector, provide capacity building for vendors and other support staff and foster more collaboration among institutions at the local level in order to promote effective monitoring and regulation of the street food sector in Ghana.