Roadside food vendors: How safe are they?

By: Victoria Latona

Food safety is a matter of great public health concern worldwide and particularly crucial if the environment in which the food is handled is heavily contaminated. But it is common to see some people either eating or buying cooked food at the road side and unprotected places and this single attitude is having a great effect on the health of the people.

Also safe food hygiene is difficult to practice at street level, and outbreaks of diarrheal diseases have been linked to street food.

Expert has revealed that this attitude is one of the major reasons of epidemic outbreak in the country.

Street food vendors are very popular in many Nigerian cities, regrettably most of those who patronise them are not aware or don't bother of the risks involved. In every corner there is one food vendor or the other dishing out foods or snacks for eager customers.

Lot of Nigerians especially those who stayed in Lagos rely most on roadside vendors, though these foods are readily available, very economical and as tasty as those who patronise them say, but they are apparently ignorant of the health risks associated with the unhygienic environment in which they are being prepared.

Although, many consumers attach importance to hygiene in selecting vendors, some don’t care because they are unaware of the health hazards associated with street vended foods.

Olalekan Ayomide, a trader in Oshodi market said it is everyday routine for him to buy sliced fruits which are put in a white transparent plastic and hawked around because he likes to start the day with fruits. He added that he loves taking his lunch from food vendors popularly known as “Mama Put” explaining that it’s less expensive.

In his words: “I used to leave home very early in the morning and I will spent almost 12 hours at the everyday. I am already addicted to these foods. Although I know that most of these foods are not prepared in good places but I did not have alternative choice as at now”.

Chinedu Obina who deals with electrical appliance said he opted for ready made street vendors because they are easily located and easy to afford.

Have we spared a thought on not only the hygienic preparation of most of the junk foods we eat, but even the packaging and presentation? The Akara we buy from the road side seller is either wrapped with old newspapers or cement bag. The Kilishi (spiced dried meat) is wrapped with cement bag. Suya and many more, also pass through this ugly and unhealthy process before we eat them.

The Kunu seller picks her used bottled water cans from the streets not minding what it has been subjected to.

However, Studies have shown that there are many risks involved in eating from a roadside vended food because of food borne diseases which can be contacted from such unhealthy environment. Researchers said people who patronise street foods need to be aware of the dangers of eating or buying foods in an unclean environment because such foods could be contaminated by microorganisms which are present in the air, water and even on the hands of those who sell them. These microorganisms, they said, contaminate foods and anybody who eats them stands the risk of contacting food borne disease.

According to surveys carried out in 2006 and 2007 by the department of Public Health of the Federal Ministry of Health, there were more than two million recorded cases of food borne diseases in the country with the number of death put at over five hundred. Some of these cases could be linked to consumption of contaminated street vended foods.

Mr. Gabriel Olaitan , a teacher, said he has not fallen sick from eating roadside foods because he makes sure the environment where he eats or buys food from is clean at all times. He said only eats where they practice good food hygiene.

Bisola Aduragbemi, an apprentice said she is very mindful of where and how food is prepared she said: “The environment where the food is sold or cooked goes a long way to determine if I  will actually patronize the vendors. I am aware of the diseases I can contact when I eat in an unhygienic environment”.

Interacting with Mrs. Kemi Oluomo, pupolarly called “Iya Ibeji” who sells varieties of food around Papa-Ajao area of Lagos, said she tries hard to keep her environment clean at all times to attract customers. She explained that she knows the health risks involved in preparing foods in an unclean environment. She recounts the ordeal she sometimes face in the hands of law enforcement agents who always come to humiliate and extort money from her.

Notwithstanding, the attendant of health risks involved in street foods remain popular, especially among male youths not just in Nigeria but in many other developing countries. It requires low initial capital to start the business. The foods often found on the includes, barbecued meat known as suya, roasted yam or plantain, boiled and roasted corn, cut fruits put in trays as well as local restaurants known as ‘mama put’ where local delicacies are served. They are inexpensive, convenient and relatively, nutritious food centers for urban and rural people as well as a source of attractive varied foods for tourists.