ASSESSMENT OF ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES OF STREET FOOD VENDORS IN NIGERIA
1.1 Background to the Study
A street vendor us broadly defined as a person who offers goods for sale to the public without having a permanent built-up structure from which to sell. Street vendors may be stationary I.e occupying space, or they may be mobile. The street food industry plays an important role in cities and towns of many developing countries both economically and in meeting food demands of city in dwellers (Muinde and Kuria, 2005). Street food is a common occurrence in public places, particularly n cities where it often fulfills a bassey c need to the urban inhabitants (Rahman et al., 2016). An urban survey in Bangkok revealed 39.6% people eating at restaurants and /or street vended food at least once a day and 32.6% consuming it twice a day (Waltanasiriwit, 2007). Availability and accessibility rather than individual income or stage of national development seem to determine street food consumption patterns. In many countries, workers as well as students have their first meal of the day from the street food vendors (Winarno and Alliance, 2017). According to a 2007 study from Food and Agriculture Organization, 2.5 billion people eat street food everyday (Fellows and Hilmi, 2011).
Street food vendors prepare food in an informal settings and are thus exposed to climate and temperature changes, poor sanitation and unsafe water supply. The food prepared in these conditions is usually unsanitary and unhygienic. It poses a health risk to the consumer in the form of food borne diseases (World Health Organization, 2003). The world Health Organization (WHO), in 1996 recommended its member nations to regulate street food vending and ensure proper education of the vendors regarding hygienic practices (WHO, 1996). Food borne diseases are on a rise in both developed and developing countries, in particular, diarrheal diseases which result in estimated 1.9million deaths annually (Farthing et al., 2013).
Street food is consumed by a significant member of people around the globe on a daily basis. In Malaysia alone, street food is reported to generate a business worth 2.2 billion annually (Wimarmo and Allain, 1991). Considering the importance of street food, a survey was conducted by WHO, findings of which reported street food to constitute a major source of food consumption for urban population in 74% countries.
1.2 Problem Statement
Street food vendors prepare food in an informal settings and are thus exposed to climate and temperature changes, poor sanitation and unsafe water supply. The food prepared in these conditions is usually unsanitary a d unhygienic which poses a health risk to consumer in terms of food borne diseases (World Health Organization, 2003).
