Assessment of food hygiene practices among street food vendors in Ayensuano District Ghana

Abstract

The study seeks to examine the knowledge level of food vendors on hygiene practices in Ayensuano District. Simple random sampling techniques were used in selecting one hundred and fifteen (115) respondents. Data were collected through interviews, using structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed by using SPSS and EXCEL to derive frequency and percentage tables since it involved qualitative data. Majority of the respondents 76.6% have been medically screened and issued with medical certificate of fitness to handle food for public consumption. The results also revealed that, 60% of the street food vendors were not aware of the existence of bye laws governing the sale of cooked foods. Few of the street food vendors 22.6% underwent some kind of training on food hygiene whilst 77.4% neither underwent any form of formal training in food preparation nor did they attempt to seek it. Less than half of the vendors 44% did not wear protective clothing whilst 57.4% did not wear headgears or caps, and 51.3% handled food with bare hands and this could lead to contamination of the foods. Majority of the street food vendors 86.1% used potable water as their source in preparation of food. Without enough water, hygiene and sanitary practices cannot be met. Although, the respondents indicated that the Environmental Health Personnel were doing well in health education, more was expected of them with regards to the enforcement of bye laws on food hygiene, and by prosecuting the recalcitrant. The Ayensuano District Assembly should resource the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit and other institutions to enhance health and hygiene education for ready food vendors to prevent food contamination.