Safety and Hygienic Implications of Street Vended Foods in Anyigba Town, Kogi State – Nigeria

Abstract

The study has pointed out that most of the street vended foods in Anyigba town are unsafe for human consumption. It has identified the poor construction and location of the vending sites, lack of facilities like potable water, refuse collection facilities, personal hygiene, and temperature abuses and the way and manner the foods are packaged as the main factors responsible for the lack of safety and quality of the foods. It has thus recommended that the government should regulate the activities of street vendors by enacting a code of practice for the street food business. To ensure the safety and quality of food, workshops or talk shops should be regularly organized to avail the food vendors of basic hygiene and sanitary practices necessary for food handling and preparation.

Keywords: Street food, Food vendors, Safety, Quality