Food safety knowledge and practices of stationary street food vendors: a case study of grassy park, city of Cape Town

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Introduction In the Global South, street-vended foods play a crucial role in food security and economic sustenance; however, they also pose considerable public health risks due to systemic safety vulnerabilities. This study examined the food safety knowledge, compliance, and practices of stationary street food vendors in Grassy Park, Cape Town. Methods Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design, data were gathered from 108 vendors through structured questionnaires and observational checklists. Descriptive and inferential analyses, including Pearson correlation and Multiple Linear Regression, were employed to identify the determinants of food safety behavior. Results The findings indicated a significant “Knowledge-Practice Gap”; although formal training exhibited a positive correlation with theoretical knowledge (r = 0.388, p < 0.01), it paradoxically correlated with lower practice scores ( β = −10.403, p < 0.001), suggesting that conventional instruction may be overly “ritualized” for the informal sector. Key predictors of superior safety practices included possession of a Post-Matric qualification ( β = 16.061, p = 0.004) and belonging to the 31–40 age cohort ( β = 7.402, p < 0.001). Additionally, a “gender paradox” was identified, wherein female vendors exhibited higher compliance despite possessing lower formal knowledge scores. Structural barriers, such as a 94% deficiency in hand-washing facilities and limited access to potable water (44%), further impeded the translation of knowledge into practice. Discussion These findings highlight that solely cognitive training is inadequate. To protect public health, interventions must shift towards behaviourally-oriented coaching and substantial infrastructure investment to address the socio-economic and environmental realities of the informal food sector.

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