Background: There is dearth of data on the nutritional value of food
sold in the streets of developing middle-income countries such as South
Africa (SA), despite the fact that these foods are commonly sold in urban
areas. Many street foods appear to be unhealthy since they are high in
saturated fats, trans fats, salt and sugar. Furthermore, they are energydense
and may contribute to the high prevalence of obesity and its comorbidities
in SA. Aim: To conduct a situational analysis on the type, nutritional
content, and hygienic conditions under which foods are sold by vendors
on the streets of Cape Town (CT) and surrounding areas.
Methods: All locations where vendors (n=820) sold street food (SF)
in the CT and surrounding areas were surveyed. These venues included
community centers, market areas, major streets, train and bus stations,
and taxi ranks. The interviews were conducted by trained fieldworkers
using pre-tested questionnaires. Street foods were categorized in different
ways: i) by meal; ii) by single food item or beverage; iii) by the level of
processing; iv) by method of cooking (fried, boiled, baked, grilled,
roasted and steamed) and v) by packaging.
Results: The majority of vendors had more than one food item for
sale, with some specializing in specific types of food. It was observed that
food items most commonly sold were snacks, such as crisps, candy bars,
and biscuits (45%), cooked foods (28%), fruits and vegetables (26%),
sweetened beverages or flavored water (6%), raw foods (4%), and tea and
coffee (1%). Despite the variation in food items, the majority were
classified as being unhealthy (i.e. energy-dense), and prepared and sold
under poor hygienic conditions as shown by lack of adequate sanitation
facilities, poor storage facilities, and inadequate serving procedures.
Conclusion: With the exception of fruit and vegetables, the majority
of foods and beverages sold by vendors were not healthy options and
were prepared and sold under poor hygienic conditions.