Abstract:
The study investigated the indicator organisms and pathogens on beef, chicken and gravy
as well as on the hands and food preparation surfaces of street food vendors in the city of
Bloemfontein, South Africa. Furthermore, the bacterial counts were compared with national
guidelines as well as with infective dose limits. Finally, the food handlers' knowledge and
practices regarding the safety of food were assessed and conclusions made as to the
relationship between specific practices and the resulting microbiota. Samples of beef,
chicken and gravy as well as from hands and preparation surfaces were collected from
street food vendors and analysed for total viable counts, Coliforms, Escherichia coli,
Staphylococcus aureus, presumptive Salmonella spp. , Listeria monocytogenes, yeasts and
moulds. Microbial loads on surfaces were found to be relatively low throughout and counts
from the food were without exception inside the infective dose limit, although some
exceeded the national guidelines. Listeria monocytogenes was not detected in any of the
food samples.
For determining the respondents' food safety knowledge and practices, a structured
questionnaire and a checklist were applied. Food storage seemed to be a serious problem
in the study area because none of the vendors had refrigerators. Another notable
observation was that none of the food handlers appeared to have proper hygienic methods of food preparation. A lack of basic infrastructure to support
practices such as sanitation and washing furthermore existed. Investigations into the interrelationships
amongst the various microbiota as well as between selected microbiota and
food handler practices revealed that a definite link exists between the predominance of
indicator bacteria generally used as indicators of food safety in the formal sector.
Relationships between selected food handler practices and microbiota were furthermore
eminent in the case of chicken in particular, suggesting that this product is especially prone
to contamination from food handlers. In conclusion it is suggested that local government
and relevant authorities provide the vendors with proper resources such as potable water
near the vending site as well as adequate physical structures. Education and training
initiatives together with regular monitoring by Environmental Health Practitioners should
contribute to a safer and more wholesome product to the consumer and ultimately support
the growth of the informal vending enterprise as a whole.
