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Street-hawked food gaining demand, its safety not assured

Food items should be handled properly and safely to deter illnesses.

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by Edwin Kariuki

Realtime14 November 2019 - 11:23
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In Summary


• Food items that are not covered are bound to attract disease-causing pathogens. 

• Handlers must practise proper grooming such as covering their heads with hairnets and using aprons when serving. 

A customer buys chapati at a food Kibanda in Westlands

Street peddled foods are amassing prestige due to their economic benefits brought about by rapid urbanisation especially in major towns where demand is increasing.

However, little is known about the safety and hygiene of such foods thus risking a health hazard. Roadside foods attract dust and free-flying bacteria and exhaust fumes that degrade their products.

Bhajias, doughnuts and chapati among others are not covered and are hence prone to attract pathogens that are toxic to human health. Foodservice workers must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness when receiving, storing, cooking, processing, packaging, transporting or disposing of food.

They must embody proper grooming such as covering their heads with hairnets.

 

Mombasa 

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