FOOD SAFETY KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG STREET FOOD VENDORS IN KOMBOLCHA TOWN, NORTH EAST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

generally prepared and sold under unhygienic conditions, with limited access to safe water, sanitary services, or garbage disposal facilities. Understanding of food vender’s knowledge and practice is vital in the preparation of various food safety related training programs. However, in Combolcha town knowledge and practices of street food vendors on food safety is not well known and the determinant factors still need to be addressed. Objectives: To assess food safety knowledge, practice and associated factors among street food vendors. Methods: Cross-sectional survey was performed from March to May 2014 in Combolcha town. A total of 309 street food vendors were selected by simple random sampling technique. Standardized pre-tested questionnaire and observation checklist were used for data collection after a proper consent and ethical clearance. Factors associated with knowledge and practice of street food vendors regarding food safety were identified using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Result: About 87%of the vendors were females. The mean age of the respondents was 33.85(S.D ±8.45) years with the range of 18 to 57. Around 61% of the vendors had good food safety knowledge while only about 25% of the respondents had safe food handling practices. Vendors who had higher educational status were 4(AOR=4.399, CI=1.940-9.975) times more knowledgeable as compared to vendors who had no formal education. Respondents who had no food safety related information and training were 83% (AOR=0.174, CI= 0.082-0.336) less likely have Knowledge as compared to vendors who had information and training. Vendors who had been regulated by environmental health inspectors were 2.41(AOR= 2.541, CI=1.077-5.993) times more practicing safe food handling as compared to participants who had no inspection by regulatory bodies. Vendors who had no license were 75% (AOR= 0.253, CI=0.103- 0.535) less likely to practice safe food handling as compared to participants who had license. Conclusion: The multivariate logistic regression model indicated that, educational status, license, regulation by environmental health inspectors and food safety related information and training, were identified as the independent predictors for the presence of poor food safety knowledge and handling practice by the vendors.