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This research investigates the tourists' attitudes and preferences regarding street food and how their quest for food authenticity and customization affects their culinary experiences. The study will also reveal the impact of food customization on their perceived food authenticity, perceived memorable experience and behavioral intentions in the Fiji Islands. Using the location-intercept approach and a questionnaire survey, data was gathered from 279 foreign visitors who visited the Fiji Islands and consumed street foods at numerous food vending outlets across Fiji. The PLS approach was employed to evaluate the structural and measurement model's dual estimation simultaneously. Findings suggest that tourists' perceived food authenticity and cultural differences positively impact how they perceive their memorable destination experiences. Additionally, it has been discovered that the extent of customization in street food reduces tourists' perceptions of their authenticity. At the same time, street food authenticity significantly impacts their perceived memorable experiences at the destination. This study attempts to investigate how the perceived street food authenticity and the degree of their customization affect the perceived memorable experiences of foreign tourists in Fiji Islands. This may assist the street food vendors and other stakeholders in aligning the culinary offerings and enhancing travelers' perceived destination experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of service quality (SQ), perceived value (PV) and consumer satisfaction on Thai street food, with customer satisfaction (CS) as a mediator for customer loyalty and repurchase intention (RI). It also explores how consumer trust (CT) in Thai street food safety moderates these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to analyse the complex interrelationships between various constructs. Multi-group analyses were conducted to investigate the moderating effects of CT on the structural model, considering two distinct groups based on trust levels: low and high. Findings: The findings revealed that SQ and PV significantly influenced CS and behavioural intention, while the perceived quality of Thai street food had no significant impact on post-COVID-19 consumer satisfaction. The study highlighted the critical role of CT in moderating the relationships between SQ, PV and CS, with distinct effects observed in groups with varying trust levels. Social implications: The research emphasises the importance of enhancing SQ and delivering value to customers in the context of Thai street food, which can contribute to increased CS, RI and positive word-of-mouth. Furthermore, the study underscores the critical role of building CT in fostering enduring customer relationships and promoting consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value: This research offers valuable insights into consumer behaviour and decision-making processes, particularly within the realm of Thai street food. It underscores the significance of understanding and nurturing CT, especially in the post-COVID-19 landscape, emphasising the need for effective business strategies and consumer engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of ready-to-eat food sold in urban informal markets in low and middle-income countries is a pressing public health challenge, that needs to be addressed if we are to establish healthy food systems. Guided by the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation model for Behavior change (COM-B), this qualitative study aimed to explore perceptions of street vendors on their participation in a food safety capacity building intervention, consisting of training and provision of food safety equipment. The intervention aimed to improve food safety behavior of vendors of ready-to-eat chicken in informal markets in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. A total of 24 vendors selling ready-to-eat chicken at street restaurants participated in semi-structured interviews after training, which focused on vendors' stories of change related to food safety capabilities, opportunities, motivation, and behaviors. Data were thematically analyzed following COM-B components. Vendors noted improvements in psychological (i.e., knowledge, awareness, self-efficacy, perceptions) and physical capabilities (i.e., equipment useability and applicability), and motivations (perceived responsibility, reputation, client satisfaction, profits, consumer demand). Moreover, training and provision of equipment, spill-over effects to employees or neighboring outlets, and social support were perceived as key social and physical opportunities, while structural challenges such as market infrastructure, regulations, financial resources, cost of living, and outlet culture were physical barriers to implement lessons learnt. This study provides insights into the impact of engaging vendors in improving food safety behavior through training and equipment provision. Improvements in vendors' perceived capabilities and motivation contributed to improved food safety behavior, while contextual barriers hindered the perceived adoption of food safety behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin contamination in food poses a significant health risk, especially in low‐ and middle‐income nations. While there is a need to increase food safety, there is a lack of aflatoxin‐related sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) among aflatoxin‐risk populations. The study is aimed at collecting information from the vendors and consumers of maize grains to investigate their sociodemographic factors and KAPs of aflatoxin contaminations in Kenya's small‐ and medium‐sized informal markets. A cross‐sectional survey using a simple random sampling approach was conducted from July 2022 to August 2022 in Meru County, Kenya. Vendors and consumers of maize grain markets were interviewed using face‐to‐face interviews and semistructured questionnaires. Females were the predominant gender among the maize grain vendor (82.7%) and consumer (83.72%) participants. Most vendors (95.7%) and consumers (94.2%) have formal education. Almost all vendors (96.2%) and consumers (95.3%) check for maize selling and purchasing quality. The proportion of visibly mouldy grains (25.5%, 29.0%), moisture level (20.2%, 12.9%), and size of grains (11.4%, 14.8%) were the commonest quality dimensions checked by vendors and consumers, respectively. Most vendors (86.8%) and consumers (70.9%) have heard about aflatoxin, but only 48.2% of the vendors and 52.1% of the consumers were aware and could mention the correct aflatoxin health effects. Vendors' and consumers' KAPs on aflatoxin varied significantly (p < 0.05) across subcounties, education levels, genders, and ages. Promoting public awareness, building capacity, and implementing aflatoxin‐related policies at all levels are crucial to ensure food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Methods Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Reporting Method Patient Contribution The infection prevention behaviours of kidney transplant recipients have been investigated, but the factors affecting these have not. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the infection prevention behaviours of kidney transplant recipients and the factors related to these.The sample of this descriptive, cross‐sectional study included 148 kidney transplant recipients being followed in a kidney transplant outpatient clinic. Data were collected with a sociodemographic and clinical characteristics form, the Adherence to Measures against Infections Questionnaire and the Self‐Control and Self‐Management Scale between November 2022 and May 2023.The mean age of the patients was 50.29 ± 13.11 years. The rate of self‐reported hand hygiene was 51%. Age caused a significant difference in receiving a vaccine against pneumonia and wearing a mask. The rate of self‐reported behaviour of rinsing vegetables was higher among the married patients compared to single patients. Self‐management created a significant difference in receiving a vaccine against influenza and pneumonia, eating salad in a café or restaurant and wearing a mask outside home and consuming raw food, delicatessen products and street food (p < 0.05).This study revealed that the kidney transplant recipients displayed incomplete infection prevention behaviours including hand hygiene. Infection prevention behaviours differed in terms of age and self‐control and self‐management. Education and interventions are needed to improve the infection prevention behaviours of kidney transplant recipients.This study illustrates the characteristics of, and relationship between, sociodemographic factors and self‐management of infection prevention behaviours in kidney transplant recipients.Strengthening the reporting of cross‐sectional studies (STROBE) was followed.The study demonstrates that there is a need for interventions that will improve both the self‐management levels and infection protection behaviours of patients. Studies conducted in this direction will lead to a decrease in the infection rates of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fraud presents a growing threat globally, impacting consumer health; food safety; and brand credibility. The key motivation for food fraud is usually an economic or financial advantage. Economically motivated food fraud (EMA) is the illegal deception, deliberate and intentional substitution or addition of a substance in a food product, which may pose a possible health risk to unsuspecting consumers. This study aims to assess the awareness and attitudes of Nigerian consumers towards food authenticity and the regulatory measures in place to combat food adulteration. The study comprised 2160 respondents who were asked about their knowledge of high-profile food fraud incidents, frequently adulterated products, and their opinions of the effects of food fraud and preventative measures. The findings of this study revealed that more than a third of respondents were unfamiliar with the term "food fraud". However, they were aware of local high-profile cases, such as "plastic rice" and counterfeit dairy products. Most participants relied on point-of-sale information for assessing food authenticity, with street vendors being viewed as potential sources of food adulteration. The study also found that more than half of the respondents were concerned about food fraud regardless of whether it involved local or imported products. A wide variety of food items were identified as prone to adulteration or fraudulent activity. These included alcoholic drinks, dairy products, honey, rice, and tomato paste, amongst others. These findings highlight the need for improved consumer awareness, regulatory effectiveness, and remediation efforts to combat food fraud in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to create a support system for street food sales in response to urban relocation patterns, focusing on the geospatial context of restaurants in Bangkok. Data science technology was utilized to develop a navigation map powered by an algorithm designed to help users find street food restaurants. The system operates within a 5-kilometer radius of the selected restaurant for table reservations. It requires access to the user's current location, integrating geospatial data such as maps and distance calculations. This information estimates the time needed to reach the restaurant, facilitating timely table reservations and minimizing wait times, thereby enhancing the convenience of advance bookings. The system was developed and tested on devices with the application installed to assess the efficiency of table reservations. The front end was built using the PHP framework Laravel 7, while the back end was developed with Flutter, with communication between the two achieved through a RESTful API. Performance and user satisfaction were evaluated by 23 experts and operators, yielding an average efficiency score of 4.15. Furthermore, feedback from 399 general users indicated a high level of satisfaction, with an average score of 4.21, confirming the system's practical usability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 60 diverse dairy product samples, including ice cream, Ras cheese, and Kariesh cheese (20 of each), were randomly collected from street vendors in different regions of Alexandria governorate, Egypt to investigate the prevalence of pathogenic E. coli. The outcomes revealed presumptive positive colonies of 83.33% and 80% in ice cream and Kariesh cheese samples, respectively. Confirmatory tests via conventional biochemical identification affirmed the presence of E. coli in 80% of the samples. However, Vitek 2 compact testing revealed that only 46.66% were positive, in contrast to PCR techniques, which substantiated a prevalence of E. coli in only 25% of the samples, with 35% in street-vended Ras cheese and 25% in Kariesh cheese. The phoA gene, integral to E. coli, was prominently featured in street-vended Ras cheese samples at a striking 100%, while the virulence genes stx1 and stx2 were conspicuously absent, except for sporadic instances of the eaeA gene in street-vended products. These findings uncovered a nuanced landscape of bacterial presence, with E. coli exhibiting a significant prevalence disparity among product sources, particularly with street-vended items showing markedly high contamination rates. It is advised that awareness programs should be established to reduce dairy product contamination among street vendors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chicken is the most commonly consumed animal source food in street restaurants in Burkina Faso. In most of these restaurants, slaughtering, processing, and cooking practices are carried out under poor hygienic conditions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured interview was carried out to assess food safety knowledge, attitude, and hygienic practices of food handlers in street restaurants selling chicken in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou. One hundred chicken restaurants were randomly selected, and food handlers were interviewed. Results and discussion: Most restaurants served eat-in and takeaway chicken (66%); the remaining 34% were takeaway only; restaurants served grilled, flamed or roasted chicken. Only 11% of the food handlers had training on food hygiene and safety. Half the outlets were not regularly inspected by the authorities. Less than half (40%) slaughtered their own chickens at the restaurant: of these 85% bled chickens on bare earth. About 80% cleaned the bleeding surface immediately after slaughter with water but only 20% used water with either soap or disinfectant detergent. Eightytwo percent of them used the same cloth during slaughtering and food preparation stages. Many used the same knife in all stages of the slaughtering process. Twothirds kept carcasses unrefrigerated at ambient temperature until cooking started. Around a quarter buried slaughter waste on-site whereas 20% disposed of it on the street near the restaurant. Only 20% had taken steps to improve food safety, and about 80% of food handlers stated that cleanliness and hygiene were not important to their customers when choosing where to eat. Almost half (42%) the food handlers continued to work when they were ill. The poor standards of hygiene observed are typical for street food and small-scale eateries in LMICs in Sub Saharan Africa. An integrated approach is required to improve the situation, including staff training, introduction of food-grade equipment and appropriate technology, behaviorchange approaches, as well as worker and consumer awareness campaigns on good food safety practices. However, significant, sustained improvement in food safety will also require major upgrading of infrastructure and facilities including power and water supply, and cold chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article documents and discusses the special bond between women and one particular street food item: golgappa (also known as pani puri). The study relies on two sets of data collected in Purnea, a small city of North India. First, a survey (n = 530) provides evidence that snacking patterns are highly gendered, as women display a disproportionate penchant for golgappa, while men have more diverse eating preferences. Second, quantified ethnographic observations (n = 120 food stands) confirm that golgappa stalls represent key spaces of socialization for female urban dwellers. The article proposes several hypotheses to explain the popularity of golgappa among women. Moving beyond patriarchally engineered biological explanations, it focuses on issues of access to the public space. In a context of restricted mobility, golgappa serves as a convenient pretext for women to venture onto the streets. Designed for rapid consumption, golgappa allows women to conform to societal norms by minimizing the time spent in public, thereby reducing the disruption of gendered expectations. Additionally, the (imagined) association of golgappa with femininity—particularly in pop culture—increases its social legitimacy for women. The concluding section offers a reflection on the nature and texture of socialization practices among men and women in small Indian cities. Overall, the article contends that eating out represents a critical feminist issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food-neophobia is referred to as the reluctance to try unknown foods. This paper aims to demonstrate the relationships between street food experience, food destination image, food-neophobia, corona-phobia, and post-travel behaviors (e.g., intention to revisit and word-of-mouth) of international tourists visiting Istanbul, Türkiye. Based on the 210 valid questionnaires, Smart-PLS was applied to empirically test a structural equation model using PLS-Henseler's multi-group analysis. The results demonstrated relationships between the effects of street food experience and food neophobia on tourists' post-travel behaviors in terms of mediating effect of destination image and the moderating effect of corona-phobia. The result also showcased the moderated mediation role of corona-phobia in mediating role of food destination image between street food experience, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth. Despite existing generic tourists' street food studies and the popularity of COVID-19-related studies in the destination-marketing context, there have been limited attempts to explore the consequences (e.g., tourists' post-travel behavior) of the tourists' street food experience with the possible psychological relationships (i.e., food destination image and food-neophobia) during the pandemic. Therefore, this is one of the first attempts to troubleshoot to fill this omitted gap. Several practical implications with suggestions for further studies were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corona virus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health crisis that disrupted the food supply chain. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on food vendors at the Eldoret Food Market in Kenya. A qualitative study was conducted and data was collected using in-depth interviews among 12 food vendors. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and three themes emerged: challenges faced, lessons learnt, and government interventions needed. Market food vendors are an integral part of the food system and should work at improving the quality of their food system to make it resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast foods, including street foods, are essential for tourists and have become increasingly popular in urban areas due to their convenience and affordability compared to home-cooked meals. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to investigate the demographic characteristics of food vendors, their training, hygiene practices, environmental conditions and microbiological quality and safety of fast foods in Cape Coast, Ghana using appropriate standard techniques by collecting food samples such as fried rice, fried chicken, coleslaw, and pepper sauce (Shito), from seven areas within the Cape Coast municipality and analyzed for microbial load and temperature. The study revealed a high prevalence of foodborne pathogens. Most of the food vendors obtained training either through a vocational institute (29.2 %) or apprenticeship (41.7%) and 75% of them had medical examination once a year. The highest temperature for a packed meal was 78.5 oC while the least was 23.3 oC. Coleslaw had the highest coliform count (49.5 x 107 cfu/g) and Salmonella sp count (20.1 x103 cfu/g). The fried chicken had the least count. Aspergillus sp was the most isolated from the packed meal. Despite 91.7% of vendors being licensed and most having some knowledge of food hygiene practices, the findings emphasize food safety and hygiene practices inadequacies among street food vendors. This study contributes to the broader understanding of food safety challenges in developing urban settings and the need for improved regulatory frameworks to safeguard local consumers and tourists.

Purpose: This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach: This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings: The study finds that despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, street food vendors in Malaysia demonstrated resilience and embraced innovative entrepreneurial strategies to ensure their survival. Originality/value: The briefing saves busy executives, strategists, and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Street food sector is an important component of the food distribution system in many cities. However, foods exposed for sale on the roadside are generally associated with conditions that favors its potential microbiological contamination. In this study, the microbiological quality of 118 ready-to-eat street foods sold in the metropolitan area of Lisbon, Portugal was evaluated. Mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeasts, moulds, Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli were used as spoilage/hygiene indicators. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus and E. coli pathotypes implicated in gastrointestinal disease were used as food safety/hygiene indicators. Thirty-five (29.7%) of the samples were classified as satisfactory, 29 (24.6%) as questionable and 51 (43.2%) as unsatisfactory. Three samples (2.6%) were unsatisfactory/ potentially dangerous, due to the presence of the L. monocytogenes > 102 cfu/g and/or B. cereus > 105 and/or CPS > 104. B. cereus genes encoding causative toxins were detected in the strains isolated from two samples containing > 105 cfu/g. Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens and pathogenic E. coli were not detected in any of the examined samples. CPS was detected in 26.3% of the samples. A significant relationship between microbiological quality and food groups, with the increase of questionable and unsatisfactory classifications for those samples including raw components, like fruits and vegetables, was observed (Fisher-Freeman-Halton = 29.01, p

Ready-to-eat street foods, while popular because of their convenience, taste, and affordability, can be hazardous to consumers if improperly prepared and stored. The “Bake and Shark” sandwich sold at the Maracas Bay beach facility in Trinidad is a popular ready-to-eat street food that has not been researched for its potential risk to consumers. Standard microbiological methods were used for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of the bacteria in the “Bake and Shark” samples sold by two popular vendors at the beach facility. The vendor assessments of food safety knowledge and practices were conducted via structured questionnaires and a food safety practice observational checklist. Vendor 1 scored lower than Vendor 2 in both the food safety questionnaire and the food safety practice observations and obtained a risk level (20- extreme risk) that was ten-fold greater than that of vendor 2 (2- low risk). Most of the samples from Vendor 1 tested positive for coliforms, faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus while only a few of the samples from Vendor 2 tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus. This study recognised the need for routine monitoring of “Bake and Shark” street food vendors to minimise the risks associated with consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey article aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of food purchasing and safe food handling, as well as changes in lifestyle-related behaviours among rural people. A cross-sectional study was conducted in population of NCR area of Uttar Pradesh, India from age group of 16-60 years and above. A structured questionnaire of 25 questions was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, Food purchasing practices like Nutritional Information, Manufacture Date, Expiry Date and Mark of FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), Colour Dot Symbol on food package, Safe Food Handling practices like source of vegetables and fruits or eggs and meats, storage of raw and cooked food at home, general knowledge about preservation of the daily dietary ingredients and Changes occur in lifestyle-related behaviour like way of cooking and eating of food at home, checked awareness about the Allergens knowledge and Foodborne Diseases. In conclusion, the knowledge and awareness about food purchasing and safe handling is differ among sex, age groups, job types and locality. A number of people have awareness about food purchasing and handling but still a lot of people need knowledge about food safety and security. These findings need to be further confirmed in subsequent studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the role of street vendors in enhancing access to sustainable food, using Mexico City as a case study. Through observational fieldwork, we quantify and spatialize the street food offer of two municipalities, which we compare to food offer in outlets (shops and restaurants). We use Mexican traditional food as a proxy for a sustainable diet. Street vendors represent 55% of the food retailers present in the study area. Over half of street vendors only sell traditional food (against 45% of food outlets), but most sell food to be consumed in moderation (e.g. tacos). A weak statistical correlation suggests that street vendors and food outlets tend to cluster in mixed‐use areas; as such, street vendors' role in the urban food system is mainly to provide an alternative food offer in well‐served areas, rather than providing a food offer in neighbourhoods where the formal offer is scarce. We conclude that street vending is a significant element of Mexico City's urban food environment and increases the availability of traditional food, thus enhancing food sovereignty and contributing to a sustainable food system. Street vending, as an unplanned, traditional daily practice that inadvertently contributes to a sustainable food system, is an example of 'already existing sustainabilities', which exploration can provide crucial insights to achieve sustainability transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommender systems (RSs) play a pivotal role in mitigating information overload by aiding individuals or groups in discovering relevant and personalized information. An individual's food preferences may vary when dining with friends compared to dining with family. Most of the existing group RSs generally assume users to be associated with a single group. However, in real-world scenarios, a user can be part of multiple groups due to overlapping/diverse preferences. This raises several challenges for traditional RSs due to the inherent complexity of group memberships, degrading the effectiveness and accuracy of the recommendations. Computing user to group membership degrees is a complex task, and conventional methods often fall short in accurately capturing the varied preferences of individuals. To address these challenges, we propose an integrated two-stage group recommendation (ITGR) framework that considers users' simultaneous memberships in multiple groups with conflicting preferences. We employ fuzzy C-means clustering along with collaborative filtering to provide a more flexible and precise approach to membership assignment. Group formation is carried out using similarity thresholds followed by deep neural collaborative filtering (DNCF) to generate the top-k items for each group. Experiments are conducted using a large-scale recipes' dataset, and the results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms traditional approaches in terms of group satisfaction, normalized discounted cumulative gain (NDCG), precision, recall, and F1-measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article uses luosifen – river snail rice noodles that originated in Liuzhou, China – as a lens to explore the relationship between food production and the breakthrough processes that prompt young urbanites in contemporary China to acquire new and exotic tastes. Although snail noodles, famous for their stinky smell, have recently gained recognition as a national intangible cultural heritage, the consumption of snail noodles in China today is actually a reinvented tradition developed from those of the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups. The current popularity of snail noodles results from neoliberal consumerism, advancements in food packaging and technology, and new ways for consumers to engage each other in social relationships created by social media, all in the context of rapid social change and urbanization. The Liuzhou local government's strategy of transforming snail noodles from modern street food into exotic culinary heritage has opened up new forms of cultural and social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19-induced lockdowns and movement restrictions led to individuals’ limited movement and recall of street food memories. Against this backdrop, the current study explores the enabler role of the perceived scare of COVID-19 on street food attachment and its contribution to recommending and revisiting intention. A prominent contribution of this study is the evaluation of the moderating role of perceived price fairness, food authenticity, vendor hygiene practices, and income. The proposed model is validated with perceptual responses gathered from two prominent destinations viz. India and the Middle East and analyzed with partial least squares. Results showed that the perceived scare of COVID-19 does significantly enhance one’s attachment associated with street food. Moreover, street food attachment does enhance an individual’s revisit and recommendation intention in the new normal. Furthermore, results showed that the contingent effects of food authenticity, perceived price fairness, vendor’s hygiene practice, and income have a positive moderation on the relationship between perceived scare of COVID-19 and street food attachment. The study is one of the few studies on street food attachment in the new normal for developing countries like India and the Middle East. The implications have relevance for street food businesses and small food business owners in Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the origin of a food product holds paramount importance in ensuring food safety, quality, and authenticity. Knowing where a food item comes from provides crucial information about its production methods, handling practices, and potential exposure to contaminants. Machine learning techniques play a pivotal role in this process by enabling the analysis of complex data sets to uncover patterns and associations that can reveal the geographical source of a food item. This study aims to investigate the potential use of explainable artificial intelligence for identifying the food origin. The case of study of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO has been considered by examining the composition of the microbiota in each samples. Three different supervised machine learning algorithms have been compared and the best classifier model is represented by Random Forest with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) value of 0.93 and the top accuracy of 0.87.Machine learningmodels effectively classify origin, offering innovative ways to authenticate regional products and support local economies. Further research can explore microbiota analysis and extend applicability to diverse food products and contexts for enhanced accuracy and broader impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonellosis, one of the most common foodborne infections in Europe, is monitored by food safety surveillance programmes, resulting in the generation of extensive databases. By leveraging tree-based machine learning (ML) algorithms, we exploited data from food safety audits to predict spatiotemporal patterns of salmonellosis in northwestern Italy. Data on human cases confirmed in 2015–2018 (n = 1969) and food surveillance data collected in 2014–2018 were used to develop ML algorithms. We integrated the monthly municipal human incidence with 27 potential predictors, including the observed prevalence of Salmonella in food. We applied the tree regression, random forest and gradient boosting algorithms considering different scenarios and evaluated their predictivity in terms of the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and R2. Using a similar dataset from the year 2019, spatiotemporal predictions and their relative sensitivities and specificities were obtained. Random forest and gradient boosting (R2 = 0.55, MAPE = 7.5%) outperformed the tree regression algorithm (R2 = 0.42, MAPE = 8.8%). Salmonella prevalence in food; spatial features; and monitoring efforts in ready-to-eat milk, fruits and vegetables, and pig meat products contributed the most to the models' predictivity, reducing the variance by 90.5%. Conversely, the number of positive samples obtained for specific food matrices minimally influenced the predictions (2.9%). Spatiotemporal predictions for 2019 showed sensitivity and specificity levels of 46.5% (due to the lack of some infection hotspots) and 78.5%, respectively. This study demonstrates the added value of integrating data from human and veterinary health services to develop predictive models of human salmonellosis occurrence, providing early warnings useful for mitigating foodborne disease impacts on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence and impact of antibiotic-resistant pathogens transmitted through food, particularly street-vended foods, is becoming a major public health concern. Although a significant proportion of the urban population in developing countries consumes street-vended foods, the role of these foods in spreading antibiotic resistance has been rarely investigated. In this study, 50 bacterial isolates were obtained from 25 samples representing five categories of street-vended foods: Phuchka, Chatpati, Sausage, Bun, and Salad. The IMVIC test revealed a notably high occurrence of Escherichia coli (n=32) within the collected samples. Three representative isolates were selected for molecular identification using DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA. They were identified as Klebsiella oxytoca, Burkholderia fungorum, and Serratia nematodiphila. The antibiotic susceptibility of the identified isolates (n=35) was investigated using twelve antibiotics following the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Around 65.63% of the E. coli isolates (n=21) exhibited multidrug resistance. Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) and Phenotypic Confirmatory Disk Diffusion Test (PCDDT) confirmed ESBL production of Eight multidrugresistant E. coli isolates (38.09%). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index showed that 22 E. coli isolates had MAR above 0.2, with resistance mostly against oxacillin, ampicillin, and cefuroxime. The Klebsiella oxytoca isolate showed multidrug resistance viz., ampicillin, oxacillin, cefuroxime, and kanamycin. The Burkholderia fungorum isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Additionally, the Serratia nematodiphila isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against three antibiotics, including ampicillin, oxacillin, and cefuroxime. These findings might contribute to the knowledge of emerging antibioticresistant foodborne pathogens and raise concerns about the safety of street-vended foods in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, agroecology transitioning has gained prominence, emphasizing sustainable and community-based approaches to safe food production and distribution. One critical aspect of this transition is the establishment of Agroecology Market Shops, which serve as hubs for local food exchange, supporting small-scale producers and preserving traditional knowledge. These aspects require a well-designed vending system. Our research focused on developing an efficient and cost-effective vending system for Agroecology Market Shops by actively involving Agroecology Businesses and research Networks in the Teso Region, including Soroti Bukedea, Kumi, and Pallisa Districts. Through a systematic process of Co-learning, Co-creation, Facilitation, Transformative learning cycles and group discussions, we engaged various value chain actors, including producers, processors, marketers, and restaurant operators. Results revealed enablers for Agroecology Market Shops, different vending methods and actual community vending experiences. Ultimately, we co-created a vending system for Agroecology Market Shops in the Teso Region, and an agreement between vendors and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street food may be a vehicle of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to humans. Foods contaminated with ARB entail serious problems or challenges in the fields of medical care, animal husbandry, food industry, and public health worldwide. The objectives of this systematic review were to identify and evaluate scientific reports associated with ARB isolated from various street foods. "Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis" (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The bibliographic material covers a period from January 2015 to April 2024. Six electronic scientific databases were searched individually for full-text articles; only those papers that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. Seventeen papers were included in this systematic review. This study highlighted the wide distribution of ARB resistant to β-lactams and other antibiotics, posing significant health risks to consumers. High resistance levels were observed for antibiotics such as ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and tetracycline, while some antibiotics, such as ceftazidime, clavulanic acid, cefoperazone, cotrimoxazole, doxycycline, doripenem, fosfomycin, vancomycin, and piperacillin-tazobactam, demonstrated 100% susceptibility. The prevalence of ARB in street foods varied between 5.2% and 70.8% among different countries. The multiple resistance of various bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Klebsiella, to multiple classes of antibiotics, as well as environmental factors contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR), emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive approaches and coordinated efforts to confront antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under the "One Health" paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses distinctions between differing senses of "private," "public" and "political" in the United States to argue for the value of framing food issues as a collective problem that calls for broadscale demands for justice. We argue that food choices do not simply belong to the realm of private preferences and market transactions. Rather, they are a set of decisions that have systemic causes and public consequences. They are shaped and constrained by public policies that underwrite the transportation of food over long distances as well as particular crops and foodstuffs, and by the vendors and advertisers who try to convince us to eat more of the foods they produce. Because the consequences of eating an abundance of empty calories are not easily remedied at the personal level, citizens need to demand public, systemic solutions, including better food information, youth food education, and a healthier food supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible grasshopper, Ruspolia ruspolia, has nutritional and cherished cultural and economic importance to people from diverse cultures, particularly in over 20 African countries. It is consumed at home or commercially traded as sautéed, deep-fried, or boiled products. However, there is limited information on the hygiene practices of the vendors and the implications on the microbial safety of the final product. This research aimed at assessing the food safety knowledge, handling practices and shelf life of edible long-horned grasshopper products among vendors and the microbial safety of ready-to-eat products sold in 12 different markets in Uganda. Samples of raw, deep-fried and boiled grasshoppers were randomly collected from 74 vendors (62% street and 38% market vendors) and subjected to microbial analysis. Over 85% of the vendors surveyed had no public health food handler's certificate and >95% had limited post-harvest handling knowledge. Total aerobic bacteria (7.30-10.49 Log10 cfu/g), Enterobacteriaceae (5.53-8.56 Log10 cfu/g), yeasts andmolds (4.96-6.01 Log10 cfu/g) total counts were significantly high and above the acceptable Codex Alimentarius Commission and Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) limits for ready-to-eat food products. Eight key pathogenic bacteria responsible for foodborne diseases were detected and these isolates were characterized as Bacillus cereus, Hafnia alvei, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus aureus, S. xylosus, S. scuiri, S. haemolyticus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Findings from this study highlight the urgent need to create local and national food safety policies for the edible grasshopper "nsenene" subsector to regulate and guide street and market vending along the value chain, to prevent the transmission of foodborne diseases to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Cirebon City, plastic waste is still an unresolved problem. With the increase in population, there will be an increase in the volume of waste generated by human activities. This study aims to determine the procedures for handling plastic waste and the elements that influence the management of plastic waste in the city of Cirebon. The type of research used is empirical juridical research using qualitative data, initial research by examining secondary data, then continued with research in the field or community. Research data obtained through field observations or obtained through interviews. This research looks at written legal products such as Law Number 18 of 2008 concerning Waste Management, and Cirebon City Regional Regulation Number 4 of 2018 concerning Waste Management. Research on this issue is carried out descriptively analytically, explaining how written law can prevent environmental pollution. Waste management is difficult to resolve due to lack of awareness among business actors and insufficient socialization and efforts from the government. Law No. 18/2008 contains administrative provisions, civil liability, several rights to sue, and criminal sanctions. Regarding administrative sanctions, the above regulation authorizes the regent/mayor to impose administrative sanctions on waste managers who violate the provisions stipulated in the permit. The sanctions given are in the form of government coercion, forced money, and license revocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers the motivations of food truck owners and prospective owners in Bangkok during a difficult period both locally and globally. Plans for Bangkok’s future development were opaque. Inflation was rising rapidly, particularly food and energy costs critical to the industry. COVID-19 continued throughout the research. The aim was to stress-test motivation and commitment within the industry. The study asked participants what motivates them through qualitative and quantitative techniques, the former subject to thematic content analysis. Further, there was discussion with stakeholders and observation. Stakeholders particularly included training providers in the industry. Vendors requested more help so they could sustain themselves and prosper in the industry. Food trucks were of interest because of the relatively casual labour that found a place during COVID-19, although the number of trucks had declined before the pandemic. The study found that food truckers are still highly motivated and eager to help shape Bangkok’s food truck industry going forward and, thereby, the urban landscape and economy of the city. Demotivating factors suggested by the participants themselves focused on murky city planning, which became a major element in the study. Clearly, a transparent path forward must be negotiated between relevant stakeholders in determining the future development of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vending machines, cafeterias, and street vendors are the main source of food in hospitals located in central Mexico. While previous studies in other countries have shown that most of the food offered in these settings is unhealthy, there is almost no information about nutrition environments in hospitals from emerging countries. Thus, the aim of the study was to understand the nutritional characteristics and compliance with the national Front-of-Pack Labeling Regulation (FOPLR) of food in hospitals. Results showed that food sold in and around hospitals is high in calories, sodium, and saturated fats, and did not meet FOPL nutritional recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Street foods are any foods or drinks prepared or sold by street vendors in an open space. The purpose of this study was to determine the Bacteriological safety and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae isolated from street foods. Method A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was used from December 2022 to February 2023 on street foods of Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, and Jimma towns of Ethiopia. 525 street foods and 175 water samples were taken from 175 street food vending stalls. Proportional allocation to the total town population and stratified sampling techniques were used to select vending stalls. Samples were analyzed for the presence of bacteria following the standard microbiological methods used for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of bacteria. Pour plate technique was used to transfer the suspension to MacConkey agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, and Salmonella Shigella Agar. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Result Out of 525 food samples, 279 (53%) were contaminated by bacteria. From 175 water samples, 95 (54.3%) were contaminated with Escherichia coli. From both samples in total, eleven bacterial species were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated species. Shigella, Klebsiella, and Salmonella group A have statistically significant with the type of food. Erythromycin (54%), Streptomycin (17%), and Amoxicillin (14%) were the most resistant antibiotics. Least resistance was observed to Ciprofloxacin (5%). Conclusion Street foods of the selected towns were highly contaminated with various antibiotic-resistant organisms. Hence, the relevant authorities ought to ensure the proper handling of street food by enforcing safety measures. Additionally, they should initiate a widespread awareness campaign promoting the prudent use of antibiotics among both street food vendors and the broader population.

Food safety is a critical public health issue worldwide as the consumption of unhygienic food causes millions of illnesses annually. The contaminated food is primarily unsafe due to the presence of microorganisms (i.e. bacteria and viruses), chemicals (i.e. pesticides and heavy metals), and physical hazards (i.e. glass, metal and plastic). Foodborne illnesses such as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, E. coli infection, botulism, cholera, norovirus infection, and others are commonly caused by the problems associated with food hygiene. From the modest beginnings rooted in basic hygiene practices to the sophisticated frameworks of the modern era, the journey of food regulatory bodies has been marked by a commitment to protect consumers from the hazards associated with foodborne illnesses. In India, the 'Food Safety and Standards Authority of India sets standards, inspects food businesses, and acts against food safety violators. However, there is still more work to be done, including the effective enforcement of regulations, and thoroughly educating the consumers about food safety. The need of the hour is a multi-dimensional collaboration among different stakeholders to ensure that everyone has access to safe and nutritious food. In developing countries, the hurdles in preventing food adulteration include poor consumer awareness and insufficient resources for the enforcement of food regulations. Despite complications, the 'Food Safety and Standards Authority of India' is committed to improving food safety for consumers through cooperation with other agencies, increased enforcement, and public awareness initiatives. Developing countries face lots of challenges in regulating the safety of loose milk and street foods; including the problems of traceability, resource limitations, variety of techniques, cultural acceptance, and financial concerns. A multifaceted strategy that includes infrastructural development, consumer education, regulatory strengthening, and technological acceptance is needed to overcome all these problems linked to the safety of street foods and loose milk. Food regulators must set strict guidelines, conduct regular inspections, and licenses and training for various stakeholders involved. Proper education for customers should increase awareness and provide them with the latest information related to food safety. Access to clean water, sanitary facilities, waste management, and technological adoption should be the main priorities of infrastructure development. Challenges of traceability and labelling in loose milk and street foods include the threats of adulteration, inability to determine the origin, and improper labelling. Vendor registration, uniform labelling, stringent enforcement of food safety regulations, improved supply chain monitoring, consumer education, and technological adoption are all necessary to fully address these problems of food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, cholera remains a public health problem in Sudan. The objective of the outbreak investigation was to identify associated risk factors that would help institute appropriate control measures. A case control study design was chosen to identify the risk factors for cholera in Gadarif State. Multi-variate analysis of identified two risk factors and three preventive factors for cholera in Gadarif City. Risk factors: Buying foods or drinks from street vendors (OR = 71.36), 95 % CI: 16.58–307.14), living in an urban setting (Gadarif City) (OR = 5.38), 95 % CI: 2.10–13.81); and the preventive factors were: Washing hands with water after defecation but without soap (OR = 0.16), 95 % CI: 0.04–0.63) or with soap (OR = 0.01), 95 % CI: 0.00–0.03), washing hands before eating (OR = 0.15), 95 % CI: 0.05–0.51) and taking Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) (OR = 0.19, 95 % CI: 0.08–0.44). The effectiveness of OCV (VE) was (Unadjusted VE: 80 %, 95 % CI: 69 %-87 %) or (Adjusted VE = 81.0 %, 95 % CI: 56.0 %-92.0 %). Cholera outbreaks, especially in the setting of a complex humanitarian crises, can spread rapidly, resulting in many deaths, and quickly become a public health crisis. Implementation of a community-wide vaccination campaign using OCV as early as possible during the outbreak while implementing other control measures to target hotspots and at-risk populations would expedite halting outbreaks of cholera and save lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street food helps to characterise Southeast Asia as a popular gastronomic destination for tourism. However, confusion regarding its translation can make it difficult to understand the nature of its food types and selections. This study aims to examine how street food names in Malaysia are translated from Chinese to English and explore the cultural influence found within the translations of street food names. This study adopts a qualitative case study with thirty-six types of translations for mouse noodle, nineteen types for Hokkien Mee, twenty-two types for Wan Tan Mee, and seven types for Kueh Chap. Data analysis encompassed both the micro content analysis for food translation techniques with changes in content and linguistic aspects of translation varieties and the macro-analysis from an ethnography approach with a semi-structured interview comprised of perspectives from ten food vendors and twenty consumers. The analysis of the interviews is guided by linguistic and cultural factors. This study found that street food names were translated with transliteration, literal translation, amplification, omission, and their combinations—the results showed that transliteration was the most frequently used technique. In detail, the changes made in the translations were in both content and linguistic aspects—mainly addition, omission, restructuring, lexical, and morphological changes. The results also showed that the factors that played a major role include knowledge (background knowledge and linguistic competence), time, and culture (localisation and cultural policy). The ethnographic description explained how these factors result in transliteration within the social relations of Chinese Malaysians. In conclusion, the transliteration based on Chinese dialects and its varieties in spelling has labelled Malaysia a multicultural destination, in which its diverse cultures are intermingled in the translations of street food names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Street foods are any foods or drinks prepared or sold by street vendors in an open space. The purpose of this study was to determine the Bacteriological safety and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae isolated from street foods. Method: A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was used from December 2022 to February 2023 on street foods of Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, and Jimma towns of Ethiopia. 525 street foods and 175 water samples were taken from 175 street food vending stalls. Proportional allocation to the total town population and stratified sampling techniques were used to select vending stalls. Samples were analyzed for the presence of bacteria following the standard microbiological methods used for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of bacteria. Pour plate technique was used to transfer the suspension to MacConkey agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, and Salmonella Shigella Agar. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Result: Out of 525 food samples, 279 (53%) were contaminated by bacteria. From 175 water samples, 95 (54.3%) were contaminated with Escherichia coli. From both samples in total, eleven bacterial species were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated species. Shigella, Klebsiella, and Salmonella group A have statistically significant with the type of food. Erythromycin (54%), Streptomycin (17%), and Amoxicillin (14%) were the most resistant antibiotics. Least resistance was observed to Ciprofloxacin (5%). Conclusion: Street foods of the selected towns were highly contaminated with various antibiotic-resistant organisms. Hence, the relevant authorities ought to ensure the proper handling of street food by enforcing safety measures. Additionally, they should initiate a widespread awareness campaign promoting the prudent use of antibiotics among both street food vendors and the broader population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identified the influence of parents' perceived risks and benefits on children's avoidance of street food near schools in Indonesia. It also assessed how food risk knowledge and trust in food sellers influence risk—benefit perceptions and the moderating effect of school type. An online survey was conducted with 576 parents of elementary schoolchildren in Jakarta and West Java, and structural equation modeling was performed to test the hypotheses. The results showed that parents' avoidance of street food near schools was significantly influenced by parents' health and sanitation risk perception and nutritional benefit perception. Parents' perceived health and sanitation risk and food risk in street food near schools increased as they gained more food risk knowledge. However, trust in food sellers decreased their perception of risks. Multiple group analysis revealed a moderating effect of school type. Some of the influences were observed only in the parents from public school. The findings suggest that government regulations, school‐based nutrition education, and parental support are needed to ensure safe and nutritious street food near schools; thus, schoolchildren can access safe, healthy, and nutritious foods. Practitioner Point: Before launching a national school lunch initiative in Indonesia, prioritize creating policies to enhance street food safety, nutrition, and quality as street food remains a prominent source of food for schoolchildren.Government enforcement should include laws such as Green Food Zones, ensuring safe food practices and quality standards for selling to schoolchildren.Street food vendors near schools must boost trustworthiness by improving both food nutritional quality and safe handling practices to mitigate health and sanitation issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was performed an observational study of transversal cut with a descriptive approach with the objective of evaluating the postural physical burden of fruits and vegetables street vendors in Boyacá, Colombia through the ergonomic assessment method REBA. The chosen population of the study was fifteen workers from a street vendors association in Sogamoso city. The results show that the vendors have a high and very high risk of generating musculoskeletal disorders due to the postural burden they are exposed to. Some recommendations were made to decrease the physical burden based on four strategic angles: education, social responsibility, self-learning and engineering control at workplaces. This brings to the conclusion that the problematic perceived in this population of workers from the informal sector is similar to the one seen in other regions and countries; it is recommended the active participation for developing policies that allow to improve their work conditions and life quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With COVID-19 paralyzing street food businesses, street food vendors are trying to sustain their operations. The current study helps them by identifying the importance of five prominent stimuli viz. authenticity, quality, staff-service, ambience, and value for money in developing desire for street food in individuals in India. Furthermore, the study contributes by identifying the role of street food nostalgia (as a mediator) and perceived risk of COVID-19, age, and gender (as moderators) on the direct impact of each stimulus on the desire for street food. The study uses partial least squares path modelling to validate the hypotheses using SmartPLS. The findings are comparable to other developing Asian countries, as the proposed associations are validated with perceptual responses from three prominent cities and well-known street food destinations in India. The study showed the relative importance of the five-stimuli based on the stimulus-organism-response framework in developing a desire for street food. The findings suggest partial to complete mediation of street food nostalgia across the three samples. Lastly, the perceived risk of COVID-19 along with age and gender emerged as prominent moderators for many of the direct effects of stimuli on desires for street food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training food handlers is essential to ensure food safety. However, the efficacy of training programs relying solely on theoretical information remains uncertain and often fails to induce significant changes in inadequate food practices. Training programs in good hygiene and food safety practices that integrate theoretical and practical approaches have emerged as a vital tool, enabling food handlers to apply their knowledge during work hours and clarify doubts. This study aimed to assess the impact of food safety training based on theoretical and on-the-job training on the microbiological counts of equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler (FH) hands. The hygiene and food safety conditions of four restaurants were analyzed through facility checklists, employee questionnaires, and microbiological analyses conducted before and after training. Eight sample collection moments were conducted at each restaurant before and after training. The pre-training results indicate that 15% and 26% of analyses for Enterobacteriaceae and total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMB), respectively, did not comply with hygiene safety limits. Additionally, 31% and 64% of Enterobacteriaceae and TMB values, respectively, exceeded safety limits on food handler hands. Positive cases of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) resulted from unprotected wounds on some FH hands. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in drains was also identified as a concern. Following training, significant differences in results were observed. In many cases, there was a reduction of over 80% in microbial load for Enterobacteriaceae and TMB collected from equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler hands. The presence of L. monocytogenes in drains was also eliminated after food safety training. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of effective training in improving food safety practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Street foods are foods and beverages as either ready for direct consumption or minimally processed, prepared, and/or sold by vendors and handlers. The objective of this study was to explore the condition and governance of street foods in Ethiopia. Method: A qualitative exploratory study was employed from December 2022 to January 2023 in Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, and Jimma, cities of Ethiopia. Twelve respondents comprised key informants from selected governmental sectors were interviewed. The purposive sampling method was used to recruit study participants. The number of participants interviewed was determined by the information saturation criterion, and data were collected at the interviewee's offices. Data were collected by using key informant interview technique and audio recorded. An interview guide was used to facilitate interviews and thematic analysis was employed. The Overall data management process was conducted using Atlas-ti V 8 software. Result: The result revealed there were 4 thematic areas these were street food vendors and vending process, policy content and implementation, integration and coordination of sectors, and the way forward. The street food vendors prepared their food in an insanitary manner, absence of common working places for the vendors, lack of due emphasis for the street food vendors in the national food and nutrition policy, lack of formalization and legalization of street food vendors, poor coordination among sectors and institutions work on street food governance, and weakness on the implementation of rules and regulations in controlling street food vendors were the prominent gaps that were identified in the policy. Conclusion: Though Ethiopia has a national food and nutrition policy, the policy doesn't adequately address the street food vending sector. Besides, it is not well communicated to the implementers resulting in poor policy implementation. Quantifying socio-economic benefits of street food vending activities in Ethiopia needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal sector foods are considered a vector of unhealthy fatty acids linked to noncommunicable diseases (NCD). This study is aimed at investigating the hazardous and nutritional fatty acids and sterols in commonly consumed ready-to-eat (RTE) street foods (n = 108) in Sri Lanka using modified and validated AOAC and AOCS test methods. Significant variations (p < 0.05) were detected in fatty acid composition among different foods. A comparatively higher fat content (>17.5 g/100 g) was observed in 95% of pastry samples, while 51.5% of total foods exceeded the national threshold limit (8 g/100 g) for children. Saturated fatty acid (SFA) was higher than 1.5 g/100 g in 93% of food. SFA was more predominant than polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in all foods. The most prominent SFA was palmitic acid. Oleic acid was the major unsaturated fatty acid. Total trans fatty acids detected in all foods were in the range of 0.12-1.60 g/100 g. The PUFA/SFA ratios of all analysed street foods (0.16-0.28) were less than the recommended PUFA/SFA ratio of ≥0.4. Omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratios of all food were 18 : 1-24 : 1, which is higher than the WHO-recommended ratio of 4 : 1-5 : 1. Mean atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices were 0.80-1.63 and 1.47-2.76, respectively. The essential fatty acids of α-linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid were less than the required nutritional intake. The most prominent phytosterol is the β-sitosterol in all foods, and total phytosterols were 3.29-136.65 mg/serving. Cholesterol was in the range of 0.36 to 256.85 mg/serving. These results suggest that consumption of these selected street foods may aid in increasing the risks of NCDs in consumers, and findings emphasise the urgency of improving the nutritional quality of street foods by continuously monitoring and regulating the present culinary practices. This study is the first to report a comprehensive fatty acid composition, including sterols, in RTE foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]