FOOD VENDOR HYGIENE KNOWLEDGE AND OBSERVED FOOD-SAFETY PRACTICES IN A GHANAIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Food vendors play an important role in school food provision; however, safe food handling depends not only on knowledge but also on consistent hygiene practices and adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions. This study examined food vendors’ self-reported food-safety knowledge, self-reported hygiene practices, WASH and environmental conditions, and directly observed food-safety behaviours in a public senior high school in the Bono Region of Ghana. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. All 17 food vendors operating within the school completed a structured questionnaire, while 16 vendors were observed across four separate observation rounds. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise questionnaire and observational findings. Vendors reported favourable practices in several areas, including checking expiry dates before use (88.2%), cleaning equipment and surfaces before use (82.4%), and consistently following standard hygiene procedures (76.5%). Self-reported knowledge was strongest for adequate cooking to destroy harmful bacteria (88.2%) and recognition of food spoilage (82.4%), but weaker for correct dairy-storage temperatures (47.1%) and familiarity with common foodborne pathogens (41.2%). Important WASH deficiencies were also identified: only 29.4% reported consistent water availability, 35.3% reported regular availability of soap or hand sanitiser, 11.8% reported access to a dedicated handwashing station, and 5.9% reported adequate and accessible waste-disposal facilities. Direct observation revealed substantially lower compliance with some critical hygiene behaviours, particularly handwashing with soap during service (11%) and appropriate utensil washing (31%), although food covering (81%) and apron use (72%) were more common. The findings demonstrate a food-safety knowledge–practice gap within the school food-vending environment. Although vendors reported relatively favourable knowledge and practices in several areas, critical contamination-control behaviours were poorly observed alongside substantial WASH constraints. Sustainable school food safety therefore requires an integrated approach that combines targeted vendor education, reliable WASH infrastructure, appropriate sanitation facilities, routine monitoring and sustained institutional support.