Food Handling Practices of Food Vendors in the Vicinity of Davao Del Norte State College

Food handling practices among food vendors are a crucial aspect of public health and consumer safety. However, the way food is handled, prepared, and presented by the vendors can affect the health and safety of the consumers. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the food handling practices of food vendors as observed by the consumers. 10 (ten) participants were chosen who were students, teachers, and faculty staff at Davao del Norte State College (DNSC). In- depth interviews (IDI) were conducted one-on-one with the selected participants and used thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the observation of consumers in the food handling practices by the food vendors shows that they have concerns regarding sanitation and hygiene problems, inconsistent use of proper equipment, food handling and cross-contamination issues, and inconsistencies in cleanliness and presentation. Assuring health and safety, maintaining hygiene and cleanliness standards, maintaining customer well-being, and keeping trust and support for the vendors were the things they wanted to see from the vendors. Through conducting seminars, educational programs, training initiatives, or policy recommendations by the local government, and especially the BTLEd students, which can contribute to improved food-handling practices among vendors. Further, the future researcher may expand their exploration by conducting a research study on students’ perspectives on the food handling practices by the food vendors.