Food safety hygiene practices among street food vendors in Demerara-‎Mahaica, Guyana

Abstract

Food safety and hygiene are essential, particularly in limited. Street vending poses a public health risk due to the potential for foodborne illnesses. Literature indicates that many vendors fail to meet basic hygiene standards, highlighting the need for local evaluations. The Demerara-Mahaica region has the highest population density in Guyana as it serves as the social, economic, and administrative hub of the country. While street food vending is popular across this region, it is without adequate regulations and oversight. Moreover, there are no prior known studies on the hygiene practices of street food vendors in Guyana. This study examines the hygiene practices of street food vendors in this region of Guyana. It involves a direct cross-sectional observational assessment based on data collected in a broader survey in 2024, where a total of 104 street food vendors were selected via convenience sampling. The assessment focuses on hygiene indicators, including handwashing, attire, money handling, and grooming. Descriptive statistics summarized hygiene practices, while inferential analysis explored associations between observed hygiene behaviors and vendors’ demographics. Less than 32% of vendors washed their hands while handling food, and among those observed using toilet facilities, the majority did not wash their hands afterward. Similarly, about 46% vendors handled money while serving food, and most of these failed to wash their hands afterward. Despite these poor hand-washing practices, over 60% of the vendors handled food with their bare hands. Just over 90% of vendors wore masks while handing food, and fewer than 54% wore aprons. Jewelry use was common (39%), often uncovered. Chi-squared analysis and odds ratio tests revealed no statistically significant associations between hygiene practices and demographics. The findings are concerning, as they reveal a substantial shortfall in hygiene practices and point to a potential increase in food-borne illnesses. A more comprehensive study, such as a census, is recommended to validate the findings.