Mobile Food Vendors Research Articles

Knowledge and practicing behavior related to personal hygiene among mobile street food vendors around schools in Kartasura

Knowledge and practicing behavior related to personal hygiene among mobile street food vendors around schools in Kartasura

Design Android-Based Mobile Food Vendor Location Search Application

The development of culinary business in Indonesia is progressing from time to time. This was helped by the development of increasingly rapid technology. Non-formal business actors also develop, especially mobile food vendors. The author wants to create an application that can improve the competitiveness of mobile food vendors by providing information that is easily obtained by the public to find out information and locations of mobile food vendors that can be accessed via mobile devices connected to the internet. This research offers an android application that can track the presence of traders in realtime making it easier for users to find food vendors around them using the Location Based Service (LBS) method using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In addition, this application also uses Google Maps API technology for map and Firebase needs for database needs.

Modeling the Contribution of Mobile Food Vendors to Food Choices and Body Weight Dynamics Among People Living With HIV in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Modeling the Contribution of Mobile Food Vendors to Food Choices and Body Weight Dynamics Among People Living With HIV in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

A comparative study of food safety knowledge among mobile food vendors and canteen food handlers in markets in Kano Metropolis, Northwest Nigeria

A comparative study of food safety knowledge among mobile food vendors and canteen food handlers in markets in Kano Metropolis, Northwest Nigeria

Characterizing Retail Food Environments in Peri-Urban Pakistan during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

(1) Background: To date, there are limited data in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that collect, monitor, and evaluate food environments in standardized ways. The development of a pilot survey tool, tailored to LMICs and focused on retail food environments, is necessary for improving public health nutrition. (2) Methods: A novel survey tool was developed and piloted in a sample of village retail food environments (n = 224) in Matiari, Pakistan between October 2020 to April 2021. Villages were randomly selected, and food outlets were surveyed within a 500-m radius from each village center. Descriptive statistics (counts and percentages) were used to describe the characteristics of food outlets and the availability of food. To test whether there was a difference in characteristics or in the mean of number of healthy, unhealthy, and total food items available by village size, a χ2 test or one-way ANOVA was conducted, respectively. (3) Results: In total, 1484 food outlets were surveyed for food accessibility, availability, and promotion across small (n = 54), medium (n = 112), and large villages (n = 58). In small and medium-sized villages, mobile food vendors were the predominant food outlet type (47.8% and 45.1%, respectively), whereas in large villages, corner stores (36%) were more prominent. The mean number of total food items (p < 0.006) and unhealthy food items (p < 0.001) available in food outlets differed by village size. The proportion of food outlets with available fruits, meat and poultry, water, and sugar-sweetened beverages also differed by village size (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: This study informs the global evidence gap in the current understanding of food environments in various ethnically diverse and dynamic LMICs, and the developed methodology will be useful to other LMICs for measuring and monitoring the food environment, especially among vulnerable population groups. This work complements current national and provincial survey efforts in Pakistan.

Factors associated with food safety compliance among street food vendors in Can Tho city, Vietnam: implications for intervention activity design and implementation

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.

A Direct Assessment of the External Domain of Food Environments in the National Capital Region of India

Data on food environments in India and other low- and middle-income countries are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the four dimensions of the external domain of food environments (availability, price, vendor and product properties, and marketing) in food establishments in the National Capital Region of India. The assessment focused on fruits, vegetables, and ultra-processed foods. The 60 food establishments surveyed were categorized as stores, restaurants, or mobile food vendors. Only 13.3% of food establishments sold fruits and vegetables. Stores were more likely to sell vegetables than mobile food vendors (14.8 vs. 6.2%, respectively) and sold a greater variety of both fruits and vegetables as compared to mobile food vendors [mean (SD) of 8.6 (3.2) fruits and 18.6 (9.2) vegetables available at stores vs. 5.5 (5.7) fruits and 25 vegetables available at the one mobile food vendor who sold vegetables]. However, these healthy food items were more expensive at stores. The availability (100% of stores, 12.5% of mobile food vendors, and 12.5% of restaurants) and variety (156 types) of ultra-processed foods across food establishments were higher than fruits and vegetables. A greater percentage of food establishments displayed advertisements for ultra-processed foods as compared to unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as fruits and vegetables. The National Capital Region of India has an unhealthy food environment. Regulations that limit the availability of ultra-processed foods and improve the availability and affordability of fruits and vegetables are needed to reverse the rising tide of chronic non-communicable diseases in this setting.

Intrafamilial Characteristics Are Important Predictors of Children's Diets in New Mexico's Border Colonias.

We assessed selected nutritional indicators in Mexican-origin children in two low-income, rural colonias in New Mexico on the U.S.-Mexico border. These children are at higher risk for obesity and other chronic diseases linked to poor nutrition in childhood, but little is known about their diets. We surveyed mothers of 202 children 6 to 10 years old about sociodemographic characteristics, family and child attitudes and behaviors, and the child's diet. We compared diet with dietary recommendations and used regression trees to identify significant predictors of recommended intake. Among families, 89.1% participated in Medicaid, and 52.5% participated in a Supplemental Nutrition Program. More children met recommendations for fruit (36.1%) than vegetables (1.5%). Greater vegetable intake was associated with a child's not thinking healthy food tasted bad, greater family activity, and younger maternal age. Only 5.0% of children met the recommendation for <10% of energy from added sugar, with the average child consuming 2.4 times that from sugar-sweetened beverages and snacks. Lower sugar intake was associated with less screen time, not having TV on during meals, and playing team sports. Family access to healthy food and child use of mobile food vendors, vending and convenience stores were not predictive of diet. Hispanic children in border colonias have poor diets that put them at risk for obesity and numerous chronic diseases. Addressing this problem will require changing family norms and attitudes toward healthy food, screen time behavior, and physical activity levels within families.

Identification of Risk Factors for Typhoid Fever in Children Admitted in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Enteric fever remains a major public health problem in developing countries like Bangladesh. Improvement in the health facility, vaccination, and health-related awareness program the incidence of enteric fever among children is not decreased. The study aimed to find out the risk factors for enteric fever in hospitalized children in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to identify the risk factors in children residing in Dhaka city. We enrolled 50 enteric fever cases as a case group and 50 age-matched febrile patients as a control group. Result: Out of 50 cases, 2 patients were below one year and most of them were pre-school aged 26(52%). Univariate analysis showed that enteric fever is more who take food with the help of the mother and caregiver (OR=7.1); 95% CI= 26.7 -61.3) and never or rarely wash hands before preparing food and before feeding (OR= 5.7; 95% CI= 23.2 -52.8). Cases were eating outdoors at the mobile food vendors and consuming ice-cream regularly (OR=2.28; 95% CI=1- 39) whereas the control group also took street food but less frequently. Conclusion: Enteric fever is an exclusive food and water-borne systemic disease and one of the major public health problems in Bangladesh. Not only overcrowding, unsafe drinking water are the common risk factors but also hand washing both children and caregiver, poor food habit is the important risk factors. So, health education to children and food handlers may reduce the incidence of enteric fever in children.

Spatiotemporal Multi‐objective Optimization for Competitive Mobile Vendors’ Location and Routing Using De Facto Population Demands

Mobile vendors such as food trucks have become viable players in the food service market as a relatively new business model based on high mobility and flexibility. To remain competitive against typical brick and mortar establishments, it is important for mobile food vendors to operate at sites that will generate sufficient revenue, which may mean navigating to locations of high demand and low competition. This study addresses the optimal locations and routing of mobile vendors along different objectives that could contribute to higher revenue. We develop a multi‐objective spatiotemporal optimization of food trucks by explicitly considering the dynamics of urban population distribution and thus potential customer demand. For an empirical application, we focus on the location and routing problems of food trucks in Seoul, Korea. The results show that several noninferior solution sets are possible for simultaneously maximizing demand capture while reducing market competition. A routing between optimal locations for food trucks is also suggested. This research could provide useful insights and practical solutions that are directly applicable to various mobile vendors.

Food and beverage supply and advertising in schools and their surroundings in Metropolitan Lima. An exploratory study.

This study aimed to describe the supply and advertising of foods and beverages both inside educational institutions and in their respective local areas in 15 public and private schools in Lima during 2019. Unbiased observations were recorded regarding the types of food available, the presence of octagons, and advertisements used in kiosks and cafeterias. Mobile food vendors were observed at the end of the school day. All schools offered processed products, 73.3% sold food with octagons, and 60% displayed advertising for processed and ultraprocessed foods. Mobile food vendors were observed in 86.7% of schools, several of which were found to sell ultraprocessed products. The results suggest an unhealthy food environment both inside and outside schools, and a noncompliance with current regulations. It is therefore necessary to improve the dissemination and supervision of the food policy, and develop strategies with schools to promote healthy eating.

Microbiological Quality of Food Sold in Different Grades of Mobile Food Vendors and Canteens in Owerri Metropolis

The need to maintain proper hygiene in different grades of mobile food vendors and canteens cannot be overemphasized. The present study was conducted at Biotechnology laboratory, Federal University of Technology Owerri in August 2019 to ascertain the microbiological quality of food in different grades of mobile food vendors and canteens in Owerri Metropolis. Samples were collected from Fast food and Buka of which Two triplicates samples of rice, soup and moimoi were collected from two mobile food vendors in Owerri metropolis. Microbial count was carried out on each food sample using nutrient agar (NA) for bacteria count and sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) for fungi count. Colonies were also identified using standard procedure and biochemical test up to genera level. The result showed that the organism isolated from canteen (Buker) is higher than those of fast food. Organisms generally isolated includes staphylococcus aureus 0(0.0), Bacillius sp. 59(9.5), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 162(25.6), Proteus 0(0.0), in fast food while in canteen (Buka) the organism isolated includes Staphylococcus aureus 160(25.0), Bacillius sp. 0(0.0%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 16(2.6) and Proteus 227(36.4) and the organisms generally identified includes Penicillium sp. 20(6.4), Saccharomyces 26(8.7), Geotrichum 0(0.0%) and mucor sp. 0(0.0%) in fast food while in canteen(Buker) the organisms generally identified includes Penicillium sp. 0(0.0%), saccharomyces 45(15.0), Geotrichum 4(0.3) and Mucor sp. 205(68.3) and some of the genera that are of public health concern. The study suggests the need for continuous monitoring of the food vendors to forestall any form of infection.

Hands-on Research Reaching across Disciplines

We describe an interdisciplinary research project for undergraduate students involving microbiology and public health. Students designed and carried out two research studies on hand hygiene and the use of gloves by mobile food vendors in New York City and in a New Jersey mall. Students received training in aseptic techniques and survey methodology to carry out the multifaceted study. We discuss the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and research in the context of its value in preparing professionals in the fields of biology and public health.

A cross-sectional description of mobile food vendors and the foods they serve: potential partners in delivering healthier food-away-from-home choices

BackgroundFood away from home (FAFH) in the US is associated with adverse health outcomes, and food dollars spent on FAFH continues to increase. FAFH studies have typically focused on restaurants and carryout establishments, but mobile food vendors – popularly known in the US as food trucks – have become more numerous and are an understudied segment of FAFH. The objective of this study was to assess mobile food vendors, their attitudes toward health and nutrition, and the foods they serve.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of 41 mobile food vendors in Michigan, US. The survey contained questions about food and nutrition attitudes, such as barriers to putting healthy items on menus and perceived agreement with healthy food preparation practices. Participants were classified into a healthy and a less healthy attitude group based on whether they believed healthy menu items could be successful or not. In addition, participant menus were collected and analyzed according to whether menu items were healthy, moderately healthy, or unhealthy. Descriptive, univariate, and bivariate analyses were conducted.ResultsTwo-thirds of the participants felt that healthy menu items could be successful, and yet taste and value were the most important menu item success factors, each rated as important by 100% of the participants. Low consumer demand was the biggest barrier to putting healthy items on the menu (76%) whereas lack of chef interest (29%) and need for special training (24%) were the smallest. 72% of the vendors offered at least one healthy menu item, but only 20% of all reviewed menu items were healthy overall. There was no difference in the proportion of menu items that were healthy when comparing those with healthy attitudes (23% of menu items healthy) to those less healthy attitudes (17% of menu items healthy, p = 0.349).ConclusionsMobile food vendors had positive views about putting healthy items on menus. However, a low proportion of menu items were classified as healthy. This suggests that mobile food vendors are promising potential public health partners in improving the health profile of FAFH, but that education of vendors is needed to ensure the success of healthier items.

FACTORS INFLUENCING FOOD & GROCERY PURCHASE DECISIONS IN INDIA

ABSTRACT Food & Grocery Retail in INDIA is different from the food and grocery retail in developed economies because of two key and unique factors. First availability of the ubiquitous mom and pop stores called the Kirana stores in local parlance almost everywhere and second very large & diverse populace with multifarious requirements. The Indian food and grocery consumers can purchase their needs from the Kirana stores, or visit organized retail centre like D-Mart, Sahakari Bhandar, or order on-line from e-commerce food and grocery businesses like Amazon Now, Flipkart, Grofers, etc. Besides the options listed above, options like Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, mobile food & grocery vendors, weekly haats (markets), wholesale markets offer many purchasing options. The government controlled public distribution system (PDS) for the supply of essential commodities to below the poverty line Indian consumers can also be an option. The question that arises is that from the many options available to the Indian consumer what option would be the preferred option? We also investigate in this paper whether impulsive buying due to periodic promotions could affects the buying pattern of the consumer. Finally we investigate the impact of the buying alternatives on the planned purchases for the periodic requirement of essential commodities. A total of 144 samples were collected from Mumbai and Mumbai metropolitan areas using a 7 point interval scale varying from “Least in Agreement” to”Most in Agreement”. Factor analysis, Reliability Test, Correlation Analysis were performed using the Statistical Process in Social Sciences (SPSS ) to show the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The results showed that the factors correlated with the general confusion and lack of clarity displayed by the consumers while purchasing food and grocery items on a regular basis. Keywords Customer Preferences, E-commerce, Food & Grocery Retail, mobile apps, Online retail, periodic purchases.

Re-Regulating Loncheras, Food Trucks, and their Clientele: Navigating Bureaucracy and Enforcement in New Orleans

After Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, newly arrived loncheras, or taco trucks, provided an invaluable and overlooked service, feeding cleanup crews and reconstruction workers. Yet despite the important role these Latinx food vendors continue to fill and their growing popularity among the non-Latinx community, these entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing political and cultural legitimacy. Situating the experiences of lonchera vendors within the larger political economy of U.S. immigration legislation and food truck policy demonstrates how national trends, instead of local realities, are used to shape policies that impact these food vendors. This article uses an ethnographic framework based in New Orleans to argue that the regulation of loncheras maps onto the criminalization of immigrant communities through an emphasis on licensing and documentation. Juxtaposing the case studies of two mobile food vendors, Mateo and Magda—both undocumented—allows for a critical analysis of the ways immigrants navigate bureaucratic systems to make ends meet.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of food hygiene among mobile food vendors in a Nigerian rural settlement

Background: An estimated 2.5 billion people patronize mobile food vendors worldwide. Most vendors however have little or no formal education, which makes them unable to appreciate the most critical food handling practices. Consumers have thus borne the consequences when food is unsafe. This study aims to determine the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Food hygiene amongst mobile food vendors in a rural settlementMethods:It was a cross-sectional descriptive survey among the study population which comprised of mobile food vendors in Orlu Local Government Area in Imo state, Nigeria. Semi-Structured questionnaires written in English were administered to mobile food vendors who could read. For low literates, the interview was conducted in their local dialect by a trained research assistantResults: Respondents were mainly females (94.1%, n = 192) and between the age of 31 and 40 years (40.2%, n = 82). More than half of the respondents had secondary school education (59.8%,n = 122).The mean percentage knowledge was 78%. Less than half (43.5%, n = 89) of the respondents had an appropriate attitude towards Food hygiene. There was a strong evidence of association (χ2 = 15.582; p = 0.0001) between Knowledge of food hygiene and attitudes towards food hygiene.Conclusions: Knowledge levels of food safety practices amongst street food vendors in this rural setting was high however, this high knowledge was generally not translated into practice.

Evaluation of street food vendors’ hygienic practices using fast observation questionnaire

The aim of this study was to check the compliance of street food vendors hygienic practices with requirements of the Codex code of practice - general principles on food hygiene and of the Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004. The materials were 110 street food vendors located in Athens, Greece. Specially designed questionnaire allowed fast data collection. The lowest ratings were found in the hygiene of food preparation and serving, that was related to basic infrastructure, especially the protection of light bulbs from glass spreading in case of breaking, and protection of hair from falling into food by wearing sufficient hair covers or caps. Much higher ratings were found in separation of fresh food from ready-to-eat one and in the section of personal hygiene - lack of visible cuts or skin disease symptoms on hands. One of the most interesting findings is that street vendors selling meat or fish meals obtained higher ratings than vegetable or fruit ones. A greater effort should be made to increase hygiene level especially in the case of small mobile food vendors. Because of variation in hygiene level there is a need for more inspections covering greater number of street food vendors. Due to high popularity of street food and its importance for tourism, more effort should be made to improve the degree of compliance with the hygiene requirements. The fast observation questionaire used in this study allowed rapid assessment of implementation of hygiene principles. Further research is needed to explain why, despite food safety authorities licencing and inspection, implementation of hygiene principles by street food vendors is often incomplete and what factors affect the correct operation.

More than Food Porn: Twitter, Transparency, and Food Systems

This article explores the ways in which social media, specifically Twitter, can provide transparency to local and national food systems. Those interested in and invested in food systems should focus more attention on the mundane, but easily dismissed, photos and tweets that populate Twitter, Instagram, and other social media feeds, especially those from chefs, mobile food vendors, and fishermen and women. As evidence, the article includes excerpts from interviews with and observations of chefs, food cart operators, and fishermen and women operating in the state of Rhode Island.

Revaluating urban space through tweets: An analysis of Twitter-based mobile food vendors and online communication

The rise of mobile food vending in US cities combines urban space and mobility with continuous online communication. Unlike traditional urban spaces that are predictable and known, contemporary vendors use information technology to generate impromptu social settings in unconventional and often underutilized spaces. This unique condition requires new methods that interpret online communication as a critical component in the production of new forms of public life. We suggest qualitative approaches combined with data-driven analyses are necessary when planning for emergent behavior. In Charlotte, NC, we investigate the daily operations, tweet content, and spatial and temporal sequencing of six vendors over an extended period of time. The study illustrates the interrelationship between data, urban space, and time and finds that a significant proportion of tweet content is used to announce vending locations in a time-based pattern and that the spatial construction of events is often independent of traditional urban form.