Abstract
Street food vending has become a common means of providing traditional, known, and convenient meals for communal eating; a growing means of creating jobs; and a survival mechanism for many affected by the decline in availability of jobs. The food safety practices of street traders is thus one of the most important health and safety issues that most developing countries must deal with. Foodborne illnesses impose significant health burdens on, and are of particular concern for, the vulnerable population. The current study aimed to assess the compliance levels of food safety and hygiene standards amongst informal food traders in the City of Mbombela Municipality, South Africa. An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study design and a random sampling technique were used as research designs and sampling methods. A questionnaire on food safety and hygiene was used to collect data. The study revealed that the majority of the street vendors have no form of food safety and hygiene training nor can they adhere to food safety and hygiene practices such as washing of hands frequently because of the time limitations they face in preparing food and being ready for customers. The vendors practice mixed storage of raw and cooked food, which may lead to contamination of foods. Customers continue to purchase meals from food street vendors despite the obvious unsanitary conditions. This case study revealed that unlicensed food traders’ facilities are non-compliant with health standards and that unlicensed informal food traders lack knowledge of proper food handling and sanitary practices.