Food Hygiene Practice and Its Associated Factors among Street Food Vendors in Addis Ketema Sub city Addis Ababa Ethiopia 2023

Abstract Background Street food vendors offer affordable prepared meals and job opportunities for individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in developing nations. Nevertheless, the lack of proper hygiene practices at these street food vending locations poses a significant worry for consumers. Objective This study aimed to assess food hygiene practice and associated factors among street food venders in Addis Ketema Sub City Addis Ababa, 2023. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among randomly selected 337 participants from five districts of the Addis Ketema sub-city, between March 1 and March 30, 2023. Data collection involved the use of structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and observational checklists, which were adapted from prior studies. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between the outcome variables and the independent variables, employing a binary logistic regression model. The strength of association was gauged using Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI), with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05. Result Out of the total 337 study participants, the prevalence of good hygienic practice among street food vendors in Addis Ketema Sub City was found to be 33.2% (95% CI: 28.2, 38.3). Factors significantly associated with good food hygiene practices among these vendors included: having received food handling training (AOR: 2.43, 95% CI 1.12, 5.27), possessing food handling knowledge (AOR: 3.44, 95% CI 1.60, 7.38), having uninterrupted water supply (AOR: 2.52, 95% CI 1.37, 4.62), undergoing health professional visits (AOR: 5.42, 95% CI 2.90, 10.12), and having work experience of more than one year (AOR: 4.68, 95% CI 1.96, 11.14). Conclusion - The findings of this study indicate that street food vendors in Addis Ketema Sub City exhibit a low level of food hygiene practice. However, certain factors such as food handling training, knowledge, uninterrupted water supply, health professional visits, and more than one year of work experience were significantly associated with good hygienic practices among these vendors. The study underscores the necessity for improving the food hygiene practices of street food vendors. This highlights the importance of providing effective and continuous training, regular inspections by healthcare workers, and ensuring the availability of water supply at vending sites to enhance the hygienic practices of street food vendors.