Food Safety Knowledge and Practices of Floating Food Vendors in Amphawa Floating Market, Thailand

摘要

A survey and on-site observations were conducted to investigate food safety knowledge and practices of floating food vendors in Amphawa Floating Market, Thailand. Sixty-one floating food vendors were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Only 23% of the vendors attended the food hygiene training. Food safety and hygiene knowledge of floating food vendors was limited and unhygienic practices and inadequate sanitary conditions were observed. Most vendors used hand towel for cleaning their hands instead of clean water and soap. Food safety knowledge of the vendors could not be fully practiced due to the characteristics of the vending site on a small boat which lack of sheltering and basic sanitary facilities such as clean water and toilets. It was inconvenient to access to clean running water for hand washing. A gap existed between knowledge and practices on many food safety topics. It is recommended that the local authorities should make attendance in hygiene training sessions as a requirement for food vendors, providing sanitary facilities, and establishing regulations for the floating food vendors.