| dc.description.abstract | Due to rapid urbanization prompted by high population growth
rates, street food vending has proliferated in many developing
countries, mainly as a means of survival for the urban poor and
the unemployed. In this study, the characteristics of vendors and
the quality of street foods sold in selected construction sites
in Nairobi were determined.
The characteristics of the vendors and the manner of
handling the food were determined by administering a
pretested questionnaire to 58 vendors from 10 sample clusters.
The quality of the foods was evaluated by analyzing for proximate
chemical composition and total coliforms. Caloric values as well
as the contribution of the foods to energy and protein RDAs were
calculated.
The survey results indicated that street food vending is
c arri ed out by both mar~~ and females with females constituting
the majority. Both the male and female vendors had low formal
education. Though diversified, the foods were similar to those
commonly consumed in Kenyan households.
The proximate composition of the foods varied depending on
the ingredients. Single servings of most of the foods provided
17-36% of energy RDAs for individuals of ages 18-30, and 18-381.
ener-gy FWAs for ages -between Contribution to the
protein RDAs were much higher, in some cases reaching as high as
981..
Coliform counts of
contamination of food with
the foods were high
faecal material possibly
suggesting
from water
used for washing or from the vending environment.
The study indicated that street food vending in Nairobi is a
rapidly growing business especially for provision of meals to low
wage earners. Much needs to be done, however, to improve the
sanitation of the vendors and that of the environment under which
the foods the are prepared and vended, to improve wholesomeness of | en |
