Sociological Assessment of the Knowledge, Attitude, And Food Safety Practices Among Street Food Vendors in Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Food safety remains a critical public health concern in developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, where street food vending constitutes a significant source of daily nutrition for urban and rural populations. Street food vendors operate within informal economic structures with limited regulatory oversight, creating potential risks for foodborne diseases. This study provides a sociological assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and food safety practices among street food vendors in Yobe State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 350 street food vendors selected through multistage sampling from urban and semi- urban areas across three local government areas in Yobe State. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and observational checklists, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression predicting good food safety practices. The findings reveal that 68.3% of vendors had no formal education, and 72.0% operated without any form of registration or license. Knowledge of food safety was generally poor, with only 34.6% demonstrating adequate knowledge of foodborne disease transmission. Positive attitudes toward food safety were reported by 58.9% of vendors, yet observed practices were substantially poorer: only 28.3% consistently practiced proper hand washing, 42.0% maintained clean vending environments, and 31.4% practiced proper food storage. Significant predictors of good food safety practices included formal education (OR=3.42, p<0.001), previous food safety training (OR=2.87, p=0.002), and membership in a vendors' association (OR=2.21, p=0.008). The study reveals a significant gap between knowledge, attitudes, and actual practices a phenomenon understood sociologically as the "knowledge-practice gap “shaped by structural constraints including poverty, inadequate regulatory enforcement, lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities, and the informal nature of the street food sector. The study concludes that improving food safety among street food vendors in Yobe State requires not merely health education but structural interventions addressing the material conditions under which vendors operate. Recommendations include mandatory registration and licensing systems, targeted food safety training programs, provision of basic infrastructure (clean water, waste disposal), strengthening of regulatory enforcement mechanisms, and formation of vendors' cooperatives to facilitate collective action and capacity building.

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