An Investigation Into the Enforcement and Compliance of Food Safety Regulations at Street Food Vending Sites in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Introduction: The inadequate enforcement and compliance with sanitary regulations and the lack of sanitary regulation resources at street food vending sites may result in the risk of food contamination and outbreaks of foodborne diseases. This study aimed to assess the enforcement and compliance with sanitary regulations at street food vending sites in Oyo State, Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional survey research design was used for this study, in which data was collected from 600 street food vending sites in various towns in different senatorial zones in Oyo State, Nigeria. Street food vendors who were available and willing to participate in the study were then sampled conveniently. A structured sanitary compliance checklist was used for data collection at street food vending sites from 2023 to 2024. Results: Most street food vendors were female (89.7%) and above the age of 46. The vast majority of street food vending sites (75.7%) had low compliance with food safety regulations, 12.5% had moderate compliance, and 11.8% had high compliance. 85.7% of the street food vending sites had not been inspected by the authorities. Regarding enforcement of sanitary requirements by health inspectors, 85.7% of street vended facilities had not been inspected. Conclusion: The enforcement and compliance with sanitary requirements at street food vending sites were found to be low and therefore, the sanitary conditions and food safety practices at these sites cannot be guaranteed. A positive correlation exists between sanitary compliance and the enforcement of sanitary requirements at street food vending sites. It is recommended that municipal authorities register all the street food vending sites, to enable effective monitoring in ensuring that food safety regulations are implemented at street food vending sites.