Microbiological Quality and Safety of Sambusa and Fried Fish in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Abstract

The street food industry has an important role in the cities and towns of many developing countries in meeting the food demands of the urban dwellers. It feeds millions of people daily with a wide variety of foods that are relatively cheap and easily accessible. However, concerns have been raised about the safety and quality of street vended foods.  This study was carried out to determine the microbial quality and the hygienic and sanitary practices of street vendors of Sambusa and fried fish from November 2010 to March 2011 in Bahir Dar. A total of 120 food samples were collected from roadside and retailing houses or containers in two sampling batch. A semi-structured questionnaire and checklist were used in interviews to determine the status of the vending sites and associated food handling practices. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliform and S. aureus were determined using standard methods. On comparing the microbial qualities from the two sectors, there was no significance difference in their mean count (P >0.05). However, a significance difference (P <0.05) was observed between the two sampling baths in both foods for all microbial parameter. The overall hygienic status of the vending environment and the sanitary condition and handling practices of the vendors were not to the standard. The food is sold to unsuspecting clients who are likely to get food-borne diseases. This study recommends training of street food vendors on hygiene, sanitation and the establishment of code of practice for the street food industry.

Keywords: Microbial quality, street food, Sambusa and Fried fish