BACKGROUND

The street food industry plays an important role in developing countries in meeting the food demands of
the urban dwellers. Street food feeds million of people daily with a wide variety of foods that are
relatively cheap and easily accessible. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the united
nations defines street foods as ready to eat food and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors and
hawkers especially in streets and other similar public places (1988). It plays a vital socio-economic role
by providing food and nutritional support to the lower and middle income people at a reasonably low
price and is valued for the unique taste of its food items(khairutzaman et al., 2014).

Despite the numerous benefits provided to people, street-vended foods can also be a source of food
borne' illnesses resulting from food hygiene practices, unsanitary condition at food. Street food is highly
dependent on the handling of raw food to the cooking of food till it's consumption, the fact street food
vendors possesses the underpriviledged local infrastructure in general, lack of sanitary facilities and poor
sanitation have posed countless problem. Vendors prepare food at home and sell or they prepare food
at the site of selling. According to WHO(1989), food handling personnel play important role in ensuring
food safety throughout the chain of food roductikn an storage.

In good hygienic practices in the preparation and sale of street food in africa(FAO, 2009), the prinary
factors of food contamination are the following: the iproper care of ingredients, display and food
product storage, the utensils used in preparing, cooking and storing food product which are often
inadequate, the poor conditions of food storage. The statement of Sarah Duterte, " Food itself is not
dangerous, improper food handling is (Sun. Star, 2012)

Street food is more than just a convenient food source in the philippines; it is an integral part of the
landscape and cultures. Filipino's race to the street food to satisfy their hunger for their favorite street
food for a few pesos.In literature relatively few studies have been performed in different countries
about food preparation and sanitation practices, so it gives the researcher the idea to conduct a study
regarding this concern. This study is therefore to investigate in to the food preparation and sanitation
practices among street vendors in Jolo to asess the safetiness of the food and to raise a public
awareness.