An Evaluation of the Hygiene Practices of Polish Street Food Vendors in Selected Food Trucks and Stands

Abstract

Today, street food vending is becoming a dynamically developing food industry in Europe, including Poland. Lifestyle changes and socioeconomic factors, especially among young consumers, make it a convenient food alternative, even in countries without this tradition. The aim of the study was to evaluate hygiene conditions and practices in selected street food facilities in Poland. The study was carried out in accordance with an observation checklist developed on the basis of the hygienic requirements of the European Union. The study covered 550 randomly selected street food vendors in Poland in 10 cities. The hygiene of street food outlets was assessed in three aspects: ensuring proper production conditions, hygiene of production and distribution, and hygiene of personnel. The evaluation of street food outlets showed that the level of hygiene was not fully acceptable. A small percentage of the examined objects satisfactorily fulfilled the requirements of the production conditions, production and distribution hygiene, and staff hygiene. The proposed hygienic checklist for quick daily monitoring of street food outlets can be used to perform internal and external inspections. It seems that specific codes of conduct for European street foods facilities are necessary.