CHAPTER I

Introduction

For over years, the food industry has become great in number. With this occurrence,

various businesses started to rise. One of these is the street food trade. Food is an important

part of Filipino culture, and the carts that often line the streets of the cities are a great way to

snack like native. It is an activity that provides employment sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a

street or other public place, such as at a market or fair. It is often sold from a portable food

booth, food cart, of truck and meant for immediate consumption. As a matter of fact, statistics by

a 2007 study from the Food and Agriculture Organization, being low cost and convenient, street

foods are preferred by almost 2.5 billion people in the world to satisfy hunger. Moreover, it has

contributed 40% to the daily diet urban consumers in developing countries (Steyn, PhD, 2011).

The food service industry is also positively booming nowadays. Wolf, et al. (2013),

stated that the boom will most likely to impact quick service and fast – casual restaurants this

year. Entrepreneurs enter food and beverage business due to its income potentials. There are

various types of food establishment such as fine dining restaurant, fast-food chain, and/or street

food stalls. The Filipino food takes on an obviously evolving nature, from the streets of Lipa City

such as the street food that is more than just a convenience food source in the Philippines, to

the five-star establishments. In the Philippines, street food is known as – pagkaing kalye and

has become a part of the culture and lifestyle of Filipinos. Many street foods are connected with

take-out, snacks, dumplings, and fast food with various local flavors. In fact, everyone enjoys it.

They benefit from its healthy consumption as well as it grants one important aspect in Filipino

culture – finding pleasure in eating.

Tacio (2012) stated that it is an integral part of the landscape and culture of Filipinos. It is

inexpensive, accessible, and it provides a somewhat nutritious and balanced meal, if consumed

properly. Yet, this is also one of the most harmful health factors in human food consumption. It is

a segment of the food industry that is rarely scrutinized, regulated or reviewed for safety. It is
common that cooking areas in street food industry are low in terms environmental and sanitary

standards.

Acabo, et al. (2010), stated that teenagers nowadays are fond of trying new dishes with

obvious disregard to safety and food’s content. Because of such adventurous appetites, they

expose themselves to the risk of food-borne illness that are so common place in street food

consumption. Street foods are known because of their affordability and enchanting tastes, but

because of unsafe practices such as inadequate storage, reheating of food before sale,

insufficient hand washing, and inappropriate cleaning of cooking utensils, these foods can

become hazardous to our health.

This research study benefits all the people who want to know all about food safety and

its components. Also, future researchers benefit from this research because they can continue

to widen this topic or use this study to gather references and knowledge and food safety.

The research team came up with the study on food safety and hygiene practices among

street food vendors. Thus, the researchers have been concerned with the food safety and

hygiene practices among street food vendors near the school of St. Agustine School of Nursing

Lipa. Hence, researchers took advantage of any opportunity to inform and educate them on the

dangers of food-borne illnesses.

Many research have also investigated the definition of food hygiene and the impact of

food safety and sanitary practice to increase the understanding of food hygiene. However, only

a few research focuses on the understanding of food hygiene. Furthermore, very limited

research on this area has been conducted in Kelantan, Thus, this study is conducted to study

the factors that influence the understanding of food safety and sanitary practice among the

street food vendors in Mataas na Lupa, Lipa City.

avoid potential threat to the safety of food and its related issues. The vendors are encouraged to

be trained on the basic training to prevent food-borne illnesses that been increasing recently.

The term “street food” is used to refer to informal systems as well as a ready – to – eat food or

beverages sold by vendors in a street or the others public place and usually will be sold from a

portable food booth, food truck, food cart and others similar ways. Choudhury et. al,. (2011)

suggest that food vendors are required to be trained in the basic training in food hygiene before

they get the license.

According to Mizanur Rahman et al (2012), these are several factors that influence the

vendor’s level of understanding of food hygiene. Therefore, the vendors should be exposed to

the level of understanding in food hygiene among street food vendors. Once the factors are

clearly identified, the understanding of food hygiene practice will improve.

The lack of awareness in basic food hygiene practice among street food vendors

resulted in widespread food-borne disease and this has become a public concern (Sharmila,

2011). Conscious or unintentional contamination of such places put consumers at risk of

suffering from foodborne diseases (Amponash et. al., 2011).

Input Process Output

Profile of the
Respondents
 Age
 Sex
 Marital Status
 Highest Educational
Attainment
 Family Size
 Monthly Salary

Factors That Influence

 Food Safety
Knowledge
 Food Safety
Attitudes
 Food Handling
Training
Statement of The Problem

This study aims to access the factors affecting food hygiene and safety practices among

street food vendors in Mataas na Lupa Lipa City.

The researchers shall attempt to specifically answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Sex;

1.3 Marital Status;

1.4 Highest Educational Attainment;

1.5 Family Size; and

1.6 Monthly Salary?

2. How may the individual saving and asset accumulation behavior be access in terms of:

2.1 Food Safety Knowledge:

2.2 Food Safety Attitude and

2.3 Food Handling Training

3. How many be responses be compared?

4. Based on findings what are the guidelines that the researchers can implement?

Objectives of The Study

To ensure that all the food that they prepare will satisfy the customers.

To identify the importance of food safety and hygiene practices.

To provide a clean and sanitized workplace.

Ensure that the storage area is organized and clean.

Significance of The Study

The study aims to determine the importance of food safety and hygiene practices of the

street food vendors. It is an essential piece of the business marketing. This helps you to connect
food. The result of the study is perceived to be valuable and will help in giving sufficient and

additional information to the following:

THE VENDORS: The study will aid the vendors to correct their wrong practice in preparing and

handling food and enable them to strive to do the right one to guarantee health safety.

THE STUDENTS: The study will aid the learners as well as the people in the community to be

cautious of their choice of food in order to avoid any diseases that may weaken their bodies

and affect their daily activities.

THE SCHOOL: This study will aid the school by providing them ideas to detect poor hygiene

practices of its students so that it may seek ways to tackle the issue.

FUTURE RESEARCHER: This study will serve as their guide on doing their research. This can

also provide about necessary fact about food safety and hygiene practices of the street vendors

when it comes in business.

Scope and Limitation

This study is primarily focused on the assessment of the nutritional value in street food

and the street vendor’s performance in terms safety and hygiene practice. This research aim to

describe the compliance of street food vendors in handling food products according to the

policies and protocol implemented by the Philippine National standard for food safety and

proper in terms of food safety and proper hygiene. This study will conducted in Mataas na Lupa,

Lipa City. This study aims to include participants with the following criteria: Fish balls, kikiam,

and squid balls vendors and also siomai rice vendors.

Definition of Terms

Food Safety Knowledge - is important to prevent food borne illness. Identifying food

service employees knowledge, attitudes, and practices is essential to assure food safety in retail

food service operations and prevent the occurrence of food borne illnesses a health public

problem.
 Food Attitude - eating attitudes can be defined as beliefs, thoughts, feelings, behavior

and relationship with food. They can influence people’s food choices and health status.

Vendor – a person or company offering something for sale, especially a trader in the

street.

Street Food – prepared or cooked food sold by vendors in a street or other public

location for immediate consumption.

Food and Agriculture Organization – (FAO) is an agency of the United Nations. The FAO

contributes to international efforts to defeat hunger and improve local economies by helping its

member countries modernize and improve agriculture, forestry, and fisheries practices.

Food Industry – is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that supplies most

of the food consumed by the world population.

Food Borne illness – is any illness resulting from the spoilage of contaminated food,

pathogenic food, as viruses.

Nutritional Value – refers to contents of food and that impact of constituents on body.

Safety – the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury.

Hygiene Practices- activity that you do keep things clean.

Entrepreneur – a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking

on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.

Business Marketing – is a marketing practice of individuals or organizations. It allows

them to sell products or services to other companies or organizations that resell them.

Age – the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed.

Sex – two main categories ( male or female)

Marital Status – a person’s state of being single, married, separated, divorced, or

widowed.

Highest Educational Attainment – refer to the highest degree of education an individual

has completed.
Family Size – large enough to suit or satisfy a whole family