Attitudes Toward Food Safety Among Street Food Vendors in Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana

Abstract

Street food vending provides an important source of income and affordable meals in Guyana; however, its largely informal nature raises persistent concerns regarding food safety and public health. Vendors’ attitudes toward food safety are critical, as attitudes influence food-handling behaviors and can ultimately affect the risk of foodborne illness. Despite this relevance, no empirical study in Guyana has previously examined food safety attitudes among street food vendors, creating a notable gap in the food safety literature. This study aimed to assess food safety attitudes among night street food vendors in the Demerara-Mahaica region and to examine the extent to which demographic characteristics are associated with these attitudes. Demographic and attitude data were derived from a larger street food safety survey, in which a questionnaire was administered to 104 vendors between April and June 2024. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize overall attitude patterns. At the same time, hypothesis tests using the chi-square test, t-tests, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression assessed associations between attitudes and demographic characteristics. The results show that most vendors demonstrated a positive attitude toward general food safety principles; however, notable misconceptions emerged in areas requiring a technical understanding. These include proper thawing, refreezing, cross-contamination, and the cold storage hierarchy. Statistically significant associations were identified between a few high-risk attitude items and overall attitude scores. The logistic regression model comprises education level and place of schooling, and, based on the Nagelkerke R 2 statistic, it explains 10% of the variation in attitude scores. These findings indicate that although vendors value food safety, targeted, context-appropriate education is necessary to address persistent misconceptions that may compromise safe practices. Efforts to strengthen vendor training, enhance risk communication, and support regulatory oversight could meaningfully improve food safety outcomes within Guyana’s informal street food sector.