An assessment of the safety of street foods in the Ga district, of Ghana; implications for the spread of zoonoses

Street food refers to food and beverages prepared and sold by vendors in streets and other public places for immediate consumption. In Ghana street foods are sold at small eating places popularly known as ‘chop bars’. Food safety studies were conducted on the premises of 160 ‘chop bars’ in the Ga District of Ghana in July 1998. Only three (1.8%) of the proprietors met all the requirements (based on a five-point checklist) for basic hygiene. Twenty-four (15%) out of the 160 proprietors had access to potable water while the other 136 (85%) proprietors purchased water from vendors and six used pond water. These two latter sources of water were of poor microbiological quality (as shown by faecal coliform values which ranged from 1.0×102–1.9×105 cfu/ml). One hundred and five proprietors (65.6%) did not obtain their meat supply from an approved source. Factors influencing the purchase of meat from an approved source included the proximity of a chop bar to a slaughter facility, the conduct of meat inspection personnel and affordable user fees.