ABSTRACT

The study investigated the socio-economic importance, nutritional qualities and sanitary conditions in some metropolitan cities of Imo and Abia states of Nigeria. In Imo, Owerri and Okigwe were used while in Abia, Aba and Umuahia were used. The sample size comprised of two hundred and fifty six (256) vendors and three hundred and sixty eight (368) consumers. Equal size sampling was used for selection of samples from the four cities and the four clusters (mechanic village, secreta.riatlgovernment office, market and environs, and motor park). For the vendors, 64 were selected from each city and 16 from each cluster. For the consumers, 92 were selected from each city and 23 from each cluster. The survey instrument consisted of wellstructured, validated and pretested questionnaire which was prepared separately for the vendors and the consumers. Observational study of the vending outlets was also done. Food samples for proximate analysis, vitamin A and C; iron and calcium were collected. Moisture content was determined by drying the sample in a thermostatically hot air oven at 80°C, fat was by soxhiet apparatus, protein by micro kjeldahl method, ashing by incineration in a muffle furnace (550- 570)°C, and carbohydrate determined by difference Vitamin A was estimated by the absorbence method and vitamin C by visual titration method. Calcium and iron were by atomic absorption spectrophotometric determination. Food samples were also collected for microbial analysis that is total bacterial and total coliform counts. Results were compared with international microbiological standards. The study revealed that most (91.02%) of the vendors were females while most (71.20%) of the consumers were males. Most (70.71%) of the vendors had between 50 to 100 customers daily. Majority (68.34%) of the vendors could meet 60 — 100% of their financial commitments with income from their street food vending business. Some (34.51%) of the consumers patronized street food vending because it was more convenient for them and the major advantage was the time saved for cooking. Almost half (41-50%) of the daily food intake of the consumers came from street foods. Regular inspection of food vending outlets by health vi officers and education of the vendors was revealed by many consumers as what could be done to make street food safer. The result of the nutrient composition revealed that street foods sold in Imo and Abia States could be regarded as good sources of basic nutrients which could meet the recommended dietary intake of the consumers if eaten in adequate proportions. The mean total bacterial count of the food samples was within the range of 1.1 x 102 - 2.0.2 x iO4cfulg/ml and 1.0 x 101 - 6.9 x 102 cfulg/ml for total coliform count compared with the range 101— 102 cfulg/ml of food for coliform count and less than lO5cfulg/ml of food for total bacterial plate count which is the standard. This revealed that some of the food samples were within the safe limit. However, more work is required to consider the microbial load of street foods collected at different times after preparation