Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Hygiene Practices and Customer’s Choice of Street Food Vendors on (Cooked Beans, Roasted Yam, And Plantain) in Umuahia Abia State, Nigeria

Amaechi-Chijioke, Juliet .I, Aderele Fransica Gbemisola, Okedele Adesola Atinuke

Abstract

The study focuses on hygiene practices and customer’s choice of street food vendors in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia state,Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data from 240 respondents in Umuahia North LGA, semi-structured interview guide for customers and observation checklists for vendors. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation with the use of SPSS were employed for data presentation and analysis, while inferential statistics and multiple Regression were used to test the influence of hygiene practices on customer’s choice. The findings revealed that personal hygiene (β = 0.689, p = 0.051), and environmental sanitation (β = -1.437, p = 0.000), exhibited strong significant influence on customer’s choice, while food handling (β = -0.437, p = 0.136), and waste management (β = 0.283, p = 0.076), showed little influence on customer’s choice of street food vendors. The study concludes that hygiene practices significantly influences customer choice of cooked beans, roasted yam, and plantain vendors in Umuahia North LGA. Therefore, strengthening vendor’s training awareness, provision of basic sanitation infrastructure, monitoring and using of tiny net iron basket to cover roasted foods to prevent flies, consumer education campaigns, will improve the hygiene practices of street food vendors.

References

Abubakar, M., Ibrahim, A., & Musa, K. (2021). Personal hygiene and food safety awareness among local food handlers in Northern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Nutrition and Food Science, 9(1), 33–45. Abubakar, M., Musa, K., & Aliyu, T. (2021). Food safety awareness and regulatory compliance among informal food vendors in Nigeria. African Journal of Nutrition and Food Safety, 10(3), 90–101. Adebayo, O., and Oluwole, O. (2022). Consumer perception of hygiene and quality of street foods in Lagos metropolis. International Journal of Food Safety, 10(1), 22–31. Adebola, A. & Umeh, J. (2018). Nutritional role of legumes in dietary management of diabetes in Nigeria. African Journal of Food Science, 12(4), 112–120. Adeleye, A. A., Adebayo, V., and Adeyemo, O. S. (2021). Assessment of food safety practices among food vendors in university campuses in Nigeria. African Journal of Food Science, 15(4), 138-145. Amaechi, C. and Oga, M. (2021), Effect of Hygiene and Safety in Food and Beverage Service area of Catering establishment in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. Amaechi-Chijioke, U., Enemuo, C., Onyenoro, J., & Omolaja, F. (2024). Impact of environmental sanitation on food safety among roadside food vendors in South-East Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Health Studies, 18(4), 102–113. Anambra, C. O. (2021). Food safety and consumer choice in street food vending in Enugu, Nigeria. Journal of Food Safety and Hygiene, 7(3), 45–56. Akinbule, F., Ajayi, T., & Ogunyemi, O. (2020). Food storage and waste management practices among food vendors in Ogun State, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Health and Sanitation, 10(1), 25–35. Anyasor, C. (2021). Microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat foods in South-East Nigeria. Nigerian Food Journal, 38(2), 134–145. Ayo, J. & Oyedele, A. (2019). Nutritional potentials of cowpea in food security and poverty alleviation. Nigerian Journal of Nutritional Sciences, 40(1), 34–42. Anambra, C. O. (2021). Food safety and consumer choice in street food vending in Enugu, Nigeria. Journal of Food Safety and Hygiene, 7(3), 45–56. Ayo, J. & Oyedele, A. (2019). Nutritional potentials of cowpea in food security and poverty alleviation. Nigerian Journal of Nutritional Sciences, 40(1), 34–42. Barnabas, J. T. (2024). Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food vendorsengaged in Nigeria’s home-grown school feeding program. Food Control, 154, 110175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.110175 FAO. (2021). Food storage and preservation methods: A guide for food safety. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. Francis, A., Eze, B., & Adegbite, C. (2024). Assessment of hygiene and sanitation practices among street food vendors in Abia State, Nigeria. Journal of Public Health and Food Safety, 12(3), 44–56. Igwilo, C. & Nwankwo, J. (2020). Yam production and cultural heritage in Igbo land. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 24(3), 55–64. Iheanacho, R., & Eke, A. (2020). Personal hygiene and foodborne disease prevention among market women in Southeastern Nigeria. Journal of Public Health Education, 11(2), 63–72. Mensah, P., Yeboah-Manu, D., Owusu-Darko, K., and Ablordey, A. (2002). Street food vendors in Accra, Ghana: A study of knowledge, attitude, and practices related to food safety. Food Control, 13(7), 483–489. Ndiaye, A., Sy, D., and Fall, M. (2019). Street food safety: Hygiene practices and risk perceptions of vendors in Dakar, Senegal. Food Research International, 115, 244– 250. Okeke, A. (2022). Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food vendors participating in Nigeria’s school feeding program. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 13(3), 101–108 Okorie, Iwuchukwu, U. & Nwachukwu, C., (2021). Nutritional and medicinal importance of plantain in Nigeria. International Journal of Food Safety and Health, 9(2), 75–84. Ude, C. (2023). Bacteriological quality of foods and water sold by vendors in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. African Journal of Microbiology Research, 17(5), 123–130. Uneanya, G., Eze, B., Okonkwo, D., & others. (2020). Environmental sanitation and food safety awareness among small food businesses in Umudike, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental and Public Health Research, 12(2), 77–89. World Health Organization. (2020). Food safety guidelines for street food vendors. Geneva: WHO Press.

More Articles from JOURNAL OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM RESEARCH.