Food sanitation of salad vending in the markets of Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

• Main Authors: Khine Hsu Wai, Thunwadee Tachapattaworakul Suksaroj
• Other Authors: Mahidol University
• Format: Article
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Medicine
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/59274

© 2020, Mahidol University - ASEAN Institute for Health Development. All rights reserved. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted to determine knowledge and hygienic practices of street food vendors, attitude of customers toward vending practices and to find out the factors related to street food “Salad” safety in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Two structured questionnaires were used to interview 46 vendors and 250 customers, and a set of observational check-list was used for checking vending establishments’ sanitation and vendors’ practices. Coliforms SI-2 test kits were used to analyze microbial quality of salad from participating vendors. Descriptive results were presented in number and percentages. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze the association between independent and outcome variables. The results revealed that vendor’s knowledge was significantly associated with license status that influenced their hygienic practices. However their age was found to be the significant identical factor related to their practices. Further, the microbial test revealed that 69.9% of food samples analyzed was contaminated. The significant factor which had relationship with microbial quality was vendor’ s environmental hygienic and food handling practices. From total vending cart observed, 60.9% of samples are poor sanitation establishment. Among the environmental hygienicand food handling practices, proper vending protection method was the factor that mostly influenced microbial quality (p-value <0.01). On the customers’ side, both customers’ perception on vending practices and awareness on foodborne illness could be predicted by their education level at p-value<0.05. Therefore, authority’s administration and interventions should be strictly implemented. Also, food safety knowledge should be provided to unlicensed street food vendors. Awareness campaign especially on foodborne diseases, causes, and their consequences and personal hygienic practices must be conducted.