Food Safety Challenges towards Safe, Healthy, and Nutritious Street Foods in Bangladesh

Table 1

Summary of street-vended food in Dhaka city survey, conducted during April to October 2010 among 1137 vendors.

	% answered	Number of vendor
Socioeconomics of street food sector
Are street-vended foods a significant part of the urban food supply?	74	841
Is street-vending of foods an important mean of employment?	69	784
Are a significant number of women employed in this sector?	62	704
Are street-vended foods important in rural areas?	22	250
Description of street vended foods	% answered
Type of food
Grain and cereal	64	727
Fruit and vegetables	86	977
Meat and fish	85	966
Fried foods	76	864
Beverages	65	739
Type of preparation
Ready to eat	77	875
Cooked on site	82	932
None (raw)	65	739
Condition of preparation
Preparation too far in advance	73	830
Left at room temperature	82	932
Foods cooked in large pots	33	375
Improper warm holding	72	818
Extra large quantities prepared	38	432
Inadequate reheating	72	818
Inadequate cleaning of equipment	72	818
Conditions normally encountered in the trade	% answered
Type of facility
Mobile carts	75	852
Fixed stalls	88	1000
Improved food centers	32	363
Type of infrastructure
Potable water	47	534
Toilets	15	170
Hand washing facilities	22	250
Dish/utensil washing	48	545
Refrigeration available	None	None
Waste disposal	47	534
	Answered no	Answered yes
Regulation of street foods
Laws and regulations covering street-vended food exist	1080	56
Registration of street vendors required	113	1023
Code of practice applied	1080	57
Periodic training required	57	1080
Periodical medical exam required	2	1135