Abstract
Street food is food obtained from a street side vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall and it feeds millions of people daily with a wide variety of foods that are relatively cheap and easily accessible. Street food is intimately connected with take-out, junk food, snacks, and fast foods but it is not protected against insects, dust etc; which may harbor foodborne pathogens. Pathogens present in street vended foods come from different sources and practices, such as, improper food handling, improper waste disposal, contaminated water and improper storage temperature and reheating. Food borne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Like other African and World countries there are many food vendors in Ethiopia where they sell both raw and cooked food items along the streets of different cities but it is far more unhygienic due to several reasons. So the objective of this review paper was to assess the existing research about street food safety, types, hygiene knowledge, and preparation and forward suggestion for stakeholders/policy makers to bridge the gap. Majority of street vended foods in Ethiopia are contaminated by bacteria like <i>salmonella</i>, <i>S. aureus, E. coli</i> so the Government or different stake holders should intervene and solve the issue.
Highlights
Street food is food obtained from a street side vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall and it contribute significantly to the diet of many people in the developing world [1]
Improper food handling can lead to transfer of pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and S. aureus from human body and environment into foods [4]
Food borne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic innature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food [5]
Summary
Street food is food obtained from a street side vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall and it contribute significantly to the diet of many people in the developing world [1]. Improper food handling can lead to transfer of pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and S. aureus from human body and environment into foods [4]. Improper waste disposal has been associated with transmission of enteric pathogens like Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli. Improper storage temperature and reheating of food have been associated with production of heat stable toxins produced by pathogens like C. perfringens and B. cereus [4]. Food borne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic innature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food [5]. According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) 31 pathogens are known to cause foodborne illnesses [6]. Among the pathogens found in street vended food Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common ones. According to [4], the poor knowledge and improper food handling of street vendors in basic food safety measures and poor knowledge and awareness among consumers on the potential hazards associated with certain foods could explain the health and safety issues that street foods may pose [4]
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