Street food, hygiene and other matters arising, by Lilian Mabeek

Prepared or cooked food sold by vendors in a street or other public location for immediate consumption. Street foods are ready-to-eat foods and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors or hawkers, especially in the streets and other similar places.

Street food does not only provide convenience for many people, but also the livelihood for millions of low income people, making a great contribution to the economy of many developing countries.

Various countries are known for their different street food. Examples are:
Jerk chicken, Jamaica.
Chilli crab, Singapore.
Arepas, Colombia.
Halo-halo, Philippines.
Bunny chow, South Africa.
Pierogi, Poland.
Pulled pork, North Carolina, USA.
Banh mi, Vietnam.
Akara, Nigeria.

People enjoy street food because it is pocket friendly and immediate to eat. For the owners of the business, they do not need to comply with due process of registration, but it is usual for them to put up a little tent and they begin their business and they have large patronage.

How hygienic are street food? Hygeine has more to do with the person preparing the food than the environment. If the person takes all precautions in the health implication like the water, the content of the condiment used in the preparations, it will be safer meal. Same thing goes for the bigger restaurants. If the chef adopts a routine of health and hygiene, the food will be safe to eat.

Suya in Nigeria is made from cow meat. It comes in different varieties: chicken suya, goat meat suya, and customers have the various meat parts they prefer. We have the kidney, gizzard, beef tripe (shaki). Every night we have street food lovers take turns in queue to buy suya from the vendors of their choice.

Akara is very popular to West Africa, where this snack was originally created. It is called akara by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, kosai by the Hausa people of Nigeria or koose in Ghana, where it is a popular. It is made from beans and fried in smaller balls to come out into the shape it has. It is an unconventional food loved by so many people. Even Brazilians have it as a delicacy in their cuisine. It can be eaten with other easy meal like pap and bread.

Bole or Boli: Roasted plantain and fish is another finger food that most Nigerians enjoy. It can be found in South Western Nigeria and South South area like Port Harcourt. Almost everyone enjoys Boli and it can be eaten with different other small bites like peanut, fish with oil. Roasted plantain is a delight for workers during their break time and for those who do not want to gain weight.

Finger foods in Nigeria have increasingly become very popular and it is a food that void of class as it is enjoyed by almost everyone. And the use of newspaper wrapper over the years make it unique.