FOOD SAFETY AND HYGIENE PRACTICE OF STREET FOOD VENDORS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA

Street food has been implicated in adverse health outcomes among consumers. The safety of food and hygiene practice of street food vendors are major contributing factor to these health outcomes. This study was carried out to assess food safety and hygiene practice of street food vendors in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted. A validated interviewer-administered structured questionnaire adapted from Nutrition related knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire was used to obtain information from 50 respondents. Information obtained are: personal and socio-economic characteristics, food safety, personal hygiene, food hygiene and sanitary, water sanitation and environmental sanitation practices.  Chi-square test was used to determine association among variables at p<0.05 using statistical package for social sciences. All the respondents were females, 68% were within 30-49 years, about half 52% were literate and earned between N10,001– N20,000 daily. Majority (62%) of the respondents used brick as vending site while 92% were stationary vendors. Majority of the respondents had adequate food safety, personal hygiene, food hygiene and sanitary practices but moderate water and environmental sanitation practices. Daily income of respondents had significant association (p<0.05) with environmental and water sanitation practices. Type of vending site had significant (p<0.05) association with food safety and environmental sanitation practices.  Respondents had adequate food safety and hygiene practices in this study and this may have positive impact on the safety of the food they are vending.