Abstract
BackgroundStreet food plays a valuable role in several Asian countries including Vietnam. Improving the safety of street food is an important responsibility for many local food authorities. This study aims to characterize the business profile of fixed and mobile street food vendors, and to compare their compliance with the food safety criteria.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire and observational checklist to assess the ten Vietnamese food safety criteria prescribed under Decision No. 3199/2000/QD-BYT for street food vendors in Can Tho city. A total of 400 street food vendors, composed of fixed and mobile vendors, in urban areas of the city were randomly selected for the survey.ResultsThe study showed significant differences between the two types of street food vendors in educational level (p = 0.017); business profile, including types of foods vended, area in use, number of employees, training in food safety, and business registration paperwork; and the status of compliance with the ten-food hygiene and safety criteria (p < 0.01). Poisson regression analysis found that education attainment (IRR = 1.228, p = 0.015), food safety training (IRR = 4.855, p < 0.01), total business capital (IRR = 1.004, p = 0.031) and total area in use (IRR = 1.007, p = 0.001) appeared to be significantly positively associated with food safety and hygiene compliance. In contrast, mobile vending type was negatively associated with the likelihood of adhering to the ten criteria (IRR = 0.547, p = 0.005).ConclusionsThese findings emphasize the need for training and education programs to improve food safety knowledge and practice among street food vendors. Basic infrastructure and services, especially clean water, proper sanitation, and waste disposal facilities, should be provided to help street food vendors better practice food safety and hygiene regulations.
Highlights
Street food plays a valuable role in several Asian countries including Vietnam
Factors associated with the ten food safety criteria compliance among street food vendors This study found that education, training in food hygiene and safety, type of food vendor, total business capital and total area in use were significantly associated factors with food safety compliance
This study assessed the differences in socio-economic status, business profile, food safety training and status of compliance with the ten food hygiene and safety criteria between fixed and mobile vendors, where the former performed better
Summary
Street food plays a valuable role in several Asian countries including Vietnam. Improving the safety of street food is an important responsibility for many local food authorities. Street food is “ready-to-eat” foods and beverages prepared and sold by vendors and hawkers, especially in the streets or public places for immediate consumption [1, 2] These foods often provide reasonable-price meals, represent a local culture, and generate income with low capital investment for many in developing countries worldwide, Huynh‐Van et al BMC Public Health (2022) 22:94 such as India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria [3,4,5]. Mobile vendors move from place to place with food on their carts, bicycles, motorcycles, and rarely have a business license Both street food types have become part of the cultural fabric, serve as important economic opportunities and an affordable food source for Vietnamese people [11, 12]
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