Street food safety in Sub-Saharan Africa: moving beyond vendor hygiene towards resilient urban systems

Introduction Street food vending is a rapidly growing venture in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), driven by rapid urbanisation and economic challenges. However, microbial contamination of street-vended foods remains a major public health concern. Current food safety approaches have largely framed microbial contamination as a consequence of individual vendor practices, overlooking the structural conditions that shape these behaviours within the informal sector. This commentary examines food hygiene issues among street vendors based-on existing research in SSA not primarily as individual poor practices but consequences of neglected urban food systems.Key evidence Many vendors do not comply with recommended practices, including handwashing with soap before food preparation and after toilet use, yet some have tested positive for intestinal parasites/pathogens. Others reuse contaminated water to wash utensils, never refrigerate leftover foods, and lack appropriate solid-waste management. These practices are largely driven by systemic barriers, including limited access to clean water, electricity, inadequate solid-waste management facilities, and weak policy frameworks, regulation, and enforcement.Discussion Improving street food hygiene conditions requires moving beyond individual interventions towards systems-level investments in urban infrastructure, policies, and effective regulatory mechanisms. Such reforms can potentially improve food safety and food security and contribute to reducing the burden of foodborne illnesses.