HYGIENE AND SANITATION ON STREET FOODS HANDLING

ABSTRACT

Hygiene and sanitation on street foods handling is one of the foremost consideration in setting-up and managing a food service business, it is the responsibility of the food service operator to take care of the health of the consumers. This study concerns to investigate their products on proper hygiene and sanitation on handling their small business among the nearby school vendors in Divisoria. This aims to increase awareness on food safety to safeguard the consumers.

INTRODUCTION:

Street foods are ready-to-eat food or beverages like fruits, cooked meat and drinks. It is in demand in society because it’s affordable, convenient, tasty, authentic and culturally enriching (according to F.G. Winarno and A. Allain in Food Technology Development Centre). It is usually sold in busy public areas such as pavements, roadways, back alleys of market, school premises and parks. The consumption of street food is common in many countries where unemployment is high, salaries are low, work opportunities and social programmers are limited, and where urbanization is taking place.

The objective of this study is to investigate their practices of proper hygiene and sanitation on handling their small business among the outside school vendors. The fact that street vendors play important role in food security as well as in the infusion of local content in the island’s tourism sector, however the street food vendor sector presents a primary source of contamination and disease. The next objective is to create awareness of the importance of food safety to the people as reliable information or study when it comes to proper hygiene and sanitation on street foods in this society.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Prior to starting the investigation, we explained its aims to the representatives of the food vendors in its vending area. The street food vendors were recruited into the study after giving their approvals and the vendors were assured total confidentiality. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 25 vendors on their personal hygiene, food hygiene and knowledge of food borne-illness. We have been through an interview also with the vendors on how they prepare their products before selling it. Graph method was used to get totality of the results

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

QUESTIONS YES NO SOMETIMES

1. Do you use used-oil in cooking?

8

(32%)

10

(40%)

7

(28%)

2. Do you use fresh ingredients for cooking?

16

(64%)

0 9

(36%)

3. Do you apply proper safekeeping for cooking utensils?

16

(64%)

1

(4%)

8

(32%)

4. Do you dispose the leftovers and expired goods?

15

(60%)

5

(20%)

5

(20%)

QUESTIONS YES NO SOMETIMES

5. Do you always sterilize your cooking utensils before and after selling?

10

(40%)

7

(28%)

8

(32%)

6. Do you apply some precautions for the consumers on proper using of the sauce and toppings?

14

(56%)

3

(12%)

8

(32%)

7. Do you reuse plastic cup, barbecue sticks and cellophanes?

4

(16%)

21

(84%)

0

8. Do you always keep your area clean?

16

(64%)

0 9

(36%)

QUESTIONS YES NO SOMETIMES

9. Do you sneeze in front of your products?

0 24

(96%)

1

(4%)

10. Do you wash your hands before and after using the comfort room?

21

(84%)

1

(4%)

3

(12%)

11. Do you always clean and cut your nails?

10

(40%)

1

(4%)

14

(56%)

12. Do you always take a bath daily especially before selling?

20

(80%)

0 5

(20%)

QUESTIONS YES NO SOMETIMES

13. Do you still sell the previous unconsumed foods?

3

(12%)

17

(68%)

5

(20%)

14. Do you use head caps/masks/apron/ while preparing the food?

0 21

(84%)

4

(16%)

15. Do you wear sleeveless or topless while serving?

1

(4%)

18

(72%)

6

(24%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Question #2

Question #3

Question #7

Question #8

Question #9

Question #12

Question #14

Question #15

64% 64%

16%

64%

0%

80%

0%4%

0%4%

84%

0%

96%

0%

84%

72%

36%32%

0%

36%

4%

20%16%

24%

Highest Percentage

YES NO SOMETIMES

CONCLUSION:

Based from the results, the researchers concluded that the survey’s outcome is siding on the street foods are safe to eat. Almost of the answers of the street vendors are considering that they’re doing the regular cleanliness of their areas so with themselves and the proper sanitation in food preparation, but the rate of vendors that don’t use cooking garments such as head caps, masks, aprons, plastic gloves and etc. Has 84% and 16% of them are using sometimes which conflicts and can be a reason of a doubtful result, for using cooking garments is one of the criteria that the health office must look into.

Though the average result of vendors professed that they’re applying the regular cleanliness and safety preparation of food has 60.8% and only 15.2% for those vendors that don’t apply the food custody, however they still didn’t observe proper food handling and sanitation in wearing cooking garments which is one of the standards of proper hygiene and sanitation of foods. Based on the results maybe the respondents didn’t answer the questions honestly.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based from the conclusion the following recommendations are made: The City Health Office must implement strictly the guidelines in issuing permits to the street vendors.

For the sanitary inspector must conduct a weekly surprise inspection on proper hygiene and sanitation on food handling.

Schools must integrate in their curriculum the Health Education dissemination to increase students’ awareness regarding the matter.

Students and consumers must take responsibility in choosing what cooked food to eat.

For the next researchers to attest the result of this research