{
    "abstract": "Food safety is important to prevent foodborne illnesses from improper food handling by street food handlers. Food sold on the streets has become very common, especially in developing countries like India. Street foods are common in areas such as bus stops, schools, colleges, and street corners. Many of them are unhygienic and lack a basic understanding of the hygiene and handling of food. Knowledge and practices related to food sanitation and hygiene are important factors to consider in preventing foodborne illnesses.\nThis study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices related to food hygiene among street food handlers and develop a self-instruction module.\nA descriptive study was conducted in selected areas of Sangli City, Maharashtra, India. The participants were 184 street food handlers working in selected areas in the Sangli district. This study was limited to vegetarian food handlers. Data were collected using a knowledge questionnaire and an observation checklist on practices regarding street food hygiene. The tool was validated by 17 experts, and reliability was tested using the Karl Pearson formula. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, and correlation coefficients.\u00a0 Results: Out of the 184 participants in the study, 130 individuals (70.65%) demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge regarding food hygiene. Furthermore, approximately 146 participants (79.23%) adhered to food hygiene practices. However, despite the relatively high percentages of knowledge and practice observed, the relationship between the participant's knowledge of food hygiene and their actual practices was found to be weak. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between these two variables, suggesting that possessing moderate knowledge about food hygiene does not necessarily translate into consistent practice of food hygiene measures among the participants.\nStreet food is a very common consumption of food among Indians. Food safety plays a vital role in the prevention of foodborne illness. The study findings showed that the majority of the participants have a moderate level of knowledge of food safety. Hence, there is a need to train street food handlers in food hygiene.",
    "authors": [
        {
            "affiliation": "Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) College of Nursing, Sangli, IND.",
            "firstname": "Basavant",
            "initials": "B",
            "lastname": "Dhudum"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) College of Nursing, Sangli, IND.",
            "firstname": "Yogesh",
            "initials": "Y",
            "lastname": "Bhosale"
        }
    ],
    "conclusions": "Street food is a very common consumption of food among Indians. Food safety plays a vital role in the prevention of foodborne illness. The study findings showed that the majority of the participants have a moderate level of knowledge of food safety. Hence, there is a need to train street food handlers in food hygiene.",
    "copyrights": "Copyright \u00a9 2025, Dhudum et al.",
    "doi": "10.7759/cureus.77894",
    "journal": "Cureus",
    "keywords": [
        "food handlers",
        "food hygiene",
        "knowledge",
        "practices",
        "street food",
        "street vendors"
    ],
    "methods": null,
    "publication_date": "2025-02-24",
    "pubmed_id": "39991417\n27546967\n39069517",
    "results": null,
    "title": "Street Food Handlers' Knowledge and Hygiene Practices: A Descriptive Study.",
    "xml": "<Element 'PubmedArticle' at 0x788504086700>"
}