1.1 Introduction
Food vendors feed urban dwellers daily by providing them with a cheap and easily accessible variety of foods. Despite the fact that it plays an important role, food vending operates in a wobbly situation. Attitude of urban authorities towards food vendors are root causes of precarious state of food vending (Mramba, 2015). However, as a sector that provides self-employment, there have been noticeable increases of food vendors in cities of developing countries. Currently, food vendors sell both raw and cooked foodstuffs (Kinabo, 2003). Food vending plays an imperative role in the cities of many developing countries. It attempts to meeting the food demands of the urban dwellers (Asiedu et al., 2008; Lorenco Lindell, 2002; Mensah, et al., 2002). Majority of food vendors do not have garbage and waste closer to their food stalls.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The street food industry offers a significant amount of employment, often to persons with little education and training. The established food safety know how among surveyed street food vendors regarding food contamination, types and symptoms of food-borne diseases was significant since pathogenic microorganisms had also been isolated from many street foods vended foods (Omemu et al., 2005). The level of food hygiene and safety practices in Nigeria is generally known as not being of high standard and this to a large extent plays a significant role in the etiology of food-borne diseases in the country. Reports of food-borne diseases outbreaks in various countries have resulted from unhygienic food handling and preparation practices within food establishments.
Food-borne diseases are a growing public health problem worldwide (WHO, 2009). It therefore becomes pertinent that a solution should be proffered against the prevalence of food-borne diseases. This study scrutinizes the level of food hygiene practices among street food vendors as they offer a wide variety of ready to eat foods sold and sometimes prepared in public places. Due to the unregulated activities of the street food vendors, recorded poor personal and community hygiene and poor hygiene practices in food handling, the need exists for food vendors to be trained on basic principles of safe food handling.
Food is any substance that people or animal eat or drink or that plants absorb to maintain life and growth. Food is any substance consumed for nutritional support for the body; it is usually of plant or animal origin (Ezeronye, 2007). Food consists of chemical compounds which heterophilic living thing consumes in order to carry out metabolic processed. They are also substances which when introduced to the digestive system under normal circumstances contribute to growth, repair and production of energy.
A vendor is a person selling something (Wikipedia, 2021). The world Health Organization (WHO) Indicated that food-borne diseases most of which are of microbial origin are perhaps the most widespread problems in the contemporary world and this is responsible for about one third of death worldwide, through infectious conditions with adverse effects can reduce economic productivity. Poor sanitary condition in most of the local markets and the environment being highly polluted and charged with spoilage and pathogenic flora is likely the source of contamination of food items sold by such vendors (Oweghe et al., 2001).
It is known that poor hygienic conditions in a food environment may encourage the multiplication of pathogenic organisms in food (Egeonu, 2002). It has been observed that Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus grow to oxygenic levels in food at 300c (Egeonu, 2003). Therefore microbiological examination of foods and food contact surfaces may provide information concerning the quality of the raw food, and the sanitary conditions under which the food is processed (Michael et al; 2004).
Categorically, there is regulated and unregulated food vending. Unregulated food vending operates haphazardly without any monitoring mechanisms on what they prepare and sell and how they prepare and sell and how they do adhere to public health regulations. In some cities, food vendors lack knowledge on food preparation. Currently, food vendors acquired knowledge on proper food vending through informal systems (Mramba, 2015; Lyons and Snoxell, 2005). Utensils used for the preparation of raw foods are not properly and regularly washed. Already cooked foods in cupboards, plastic bowls, jugs and buckets are always uncovered thus increasing possibility of contamination (Muinde and Kuria, 2005; Mwangi, 2002; Onyangoet al., 2012; Riet, 2002; Muhonja and Kimathi2014; Tillerman, 2012).
Microorganisms live throughout the kitchen and can easily move around by attaching themselves to people easily move around by attaching themselves to people, food and equipment. Bacteria may pass from equipment to food which has not been properly cleaned and sanitized before being used to prepare another food. This implies that the food to be consumed by humans should be pure and free from contamination especially by pathogenic and spoilage micro organisms. Failure to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of the food consumed by the public might lead to some illness. To reduce contamination by microorganisms to a minimum level, and obtain good keeping quality of the products, the raw materials should regularly be monitored and examined.
Food contacts surfaces are a major concern for food service facilities in controlling the spread of food-borne pathogens, surfaces such as bench tops, table, etc. may have bacterial on them from contact with people, raw foods, dirty equipments or other things such as cartons that have been stored on the floor. If the bench tops are not properly cleaned, any food on them will be contaminated by the bacterial (Kamil, 2005).
Therefore, in FCT Abuja where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to examine the Knowledge and Practice of Food Hygiene among Food Vendors.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that some foods are manufactured as packaged foods such as prepared meat, fried fish, fruits pickling and juices, beverages, chocolate products, potato chips, etc., which involve salting, curing, curdling, drying, pickling, fermenting, and smoking to prepare these foods which are available in many restaurants and food shops, and usually consumed in most of the cultures. However, sometimes these foods can be a cause of illness, even death due to possible contamination or adulteration. The WHO estimates that almost 1 in 10 people fall ill from eating contaminated foods and causes 420,000 deaths every year globally, where about 30% are children under the age of 5 (WHO, 2015a, 2015b).
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Knowledge and Practice of Food Hygiene among Food Vendors. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine the practice level of food hygiene among roadside food vendors in the area under study;
- To examine the knowledge of food hygiene among roadside food vendors in the area under study;
- To establish the public health implication of consumption of such foods from poor food hygiene in the study area; and
- To examine the relevance of food hygiene practice among food vendors towards the health benefit of consumers residing in the study area.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the public health implication of consumption of such foods from poor food hygiene in the study area?
- What is the practice level of food hygiene among roadside food vendors in the area under study?
- What is the knowledge of food hygiene among roadside food vendors in the area under study?
- What is the relevance of food hygiene practice among food vendors towards the health benefit of consumers residing in the study area?
