Hygienic Practices of Street Food Vendors and Schools in Some Iraqi Governorates

“The study was conducted during the period from December 2018 to May 2019, to asses hygiene practice in schools and street food venders inside two Iraqi cities (Babylon and Thiqar). The Codex code for practice of general principles on food hygiene, observations and other relevant documents to provide information that may clarify certain misconceptions on hygienic practices related to street food venders. 110 street food vendors and schools were studied in all Babylon and Thiqar. Specially designed questionnaire form was used, allowed fast data collection. Many noncompliance was found in the hygienic practices and requirement, personal hygiene, hygiene of equipment, food preparation and food service. Babylon Governorates in term of hygiene of equipment and food preparation generally showed higher conformity than in Thiqar Governorates. The level of fulfillment of the hygienic requirements was most strongly influenced by the type of schools and street food vendor in both section of personal hygiene and hygiene of equipment and food preparation and serving for Babylon and Thiqar. The results of this work should not discourage to eat street food, but to minimize food poisoning risk, support the reasonable choice of eating-places according to basic food hygiene knowledge.”