Examining Street Food Microbial Count and Street Food Vendors' Safety Practices in Aklan, Philippines

This study aims to examine the food safety practices of street food vendors and assess the microbial count in street food samples in Kalibo, Aklan. Street food vending is popular due to its affordability and its ability to delight consumers' taste buds, especially in urban areas. However, its safety is not always ensured due to the inobservance of food safety practices. The study was conducted with 10 purposively selected street vendors across Kalibo, Aklan. Food safety practices were assessed through questionnaires and structured interviews. The selected vendors were also observed during their street food vending operations. Food samples were collected and analyzed for microbial count, including common pathogens such as Aerobic plate count, Escherichia coli count, Staphylococcus aureus count, and mold and yeast. The results indicated a significant difference between the levels of food safety practices: preparation and cooking, selling and the training attended. Microbial analysis revealed that a substantial percentage of food samples were safe for human consumption, but some food samples contained borderline and not acceptable levels of mold and yeast, 3,000 cfu/g sample in the street food