1925 words
Foundation Course –
- The urban population in Africa is growing in line with the global process of urbanization. These processes stimulate the growth of demand for cheap food. Therefore, the street food sector in African cities has been growing rapidly. Constantly growing demand for food accessible to people with low income becomes a reason of creation of new jobs for urban residents. Thus, the problem of the food quality has become increasingly important.
The study about safety of street food in Kumasi, Ghana, was held in order to explore local preferences and understanding of food safety and hygiene, how consumers and vendors realize these notions. The aim of study was not only to find out how healthy street food in Kumasi is, but to gain a deeper understanding of peoples’ valuation when choosing street food (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 953). In my view the aims of this study are quite clear.
The qualitative approach allows the researcher to understand the essence of a social phenomenon, while quantitative - to understand how mass the phenomenon is and how important it is for society. The qualitative approach provides an opportunity to highlight the motivational component of people's perception of the objects of this study. Thus, the information content of the findings can be increased. Qualitative methods are used to study the as wide range of views as it is possible. Description of the most complete picture of the situation is one of the conditions that allow researchers to analyze the internal structure of the phenomenon, its connections and influence.
The qualitative approach for purposes of studying street food sector in Kumasi is the most useful, as it allows solving practical problems of the analysis of public opinion in this area. Qualitative methods allow researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms of mass communication influence on individual consciousness and see the patterns of perception of social information.
In my opinion a qualitative approach was appropriate for the study, because it helps to indicate the problem and generate the hypotheses. In this case, statistical research would be premature. Qualitative approach allows first to divide customers and vendors in groups to identify their understanding of quality and safety of food, hygiene and determine key indicators for further studies. Due to the small number of study participants the results of qualitative research can’t be generalized to the entire population. However, they can be extremely useful for further exploring of some issues, conducting various programs.
- The project covers the entire chain of production and sale of street food - products suppliers, producers, consumers and supervisory authorities. Within the framework of this project were conducted formal interviews with vendors and buyers and informal interviews with directors and ground level staff from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Environmental Health Department (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 954).
In my view, this project adequately took into account all the essential characteristics of the study area. Kumasi was divided into several busy areas where street food is served. The researchers selected the following main segments: markets, lining streets, crowded places and bus stops. Street food consumers, who took part in the project, represent all population groups. Thus the project gives information about the preferences of different segments of the population.
One of the objectives of the project was to explore routs of products that vendors use on their kitchens for cooking food. Among the participants of observations were urban vegetable farms and markets, where daily routine of vegetable suppliers was observed.
This project involved vendors with different size of the business and ways of doing it. The process of research involved those vendors who work alone and those who hire staff. Some vendors were organized in the professional association (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 954). 14 case vendors were chosen from high-, middle- and low-income areas and were divided into groups according to their age, gender, education level, number of assistants, presence of license, cooking and vending facilities, sanitation and food they served (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 956). Thus the project took into consideration all possible criteria that vendors may be further classified by.
- Data collection was held by two experienced workers, using such methods like interviews, case studies, participant observation and Focus Group discussions, that were held with a help of a local interpreter. One of the workers visited two local inspections that control safety of street food to determine what kind of sanitary standards are applied in Kumasi and define the level of control over their observance (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 954). The data were collected in appropriate areas and participants were chosen properly. The study was conducted by qualified workers, who have sufficient knowledge to assess objectively the sanitary conditions of work and the quality of street food. All gathered data were organized by thematic trends for further analyses and building concepts (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 958).
The main method of data collection used in this project was the interview. A significant advantage of this method for the purpose of this project is its strict organization. The interviewers asked well thought questions to random customers. The researchers didn’t conduct an active dialogue with customers. They also didn’t express their views openly and didn’t give their personal assessment of responses or asked questions. This allowed the researchers to reduce the impact on the content of responses to a minimum and provide a favorable atmosphere of communication. Thus, the method of interview allowed the researchers to realize the main objectives of the study.
Participant observations, carried out at main markets and streets of Kumasi helped the field workers to get an insight into the processes of supplying vendors with vegetables and cooking food in their kitchens (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 954).
Conducting Focus Group Discussions allowed interviewing several consumers of street food at once. During these discussions the field workers of this study were able to get the subjective opinions of customers on the conditions of street food cooking places and the quality of street food in Kumasi. Interviewing several people simultaneously the researchers had the opportunity to hear some unexpected views of consumers. Thus, this method has allowed investigating more deeply the reasons of mistrustful attitude to the street food sector of Kumasi (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 956).
Interviewing buyers in the process of purchasing food provides the most complete answers to the questions asked by researchers. When consumer is making purchase, he is getting a fresh impression of the conditions and characteristics of the vendor’s stand at once. Thus he can express own opinion about the quality of service.
I think that the relationship between researchers and participants has been adequately considered. Chosen participants were usual consumers, immediately recruited on the street (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 956). During all discussions researchers were using the services of an interpreter. All participants were interviewed anonymously and consented to the audio recording or writing down the discussion.
- Many ethical issues are related to the balance between the two values: obtaining scientific knowledge and the rights of the objects of study. To conduct the study according to ethical principles, it is necessary to strike a balance between the need for knowledge and non-interference in the lives of others.
During this study of street food sector in Kumasi ethical issues have been taken into consideration, because all the participants took part in the study of their own free will. The researchers always asked participants’ permission for interviews and recording, they didn’t impose their views to the participants and didn’t ask them to criticize any things relating with street food and vendors.
All gathered data were analyzed carefully to avoid missing important details. So for this purpose, all the information obtained during the interviews and discussions was translated by three qualified interpreters. This ensured minimal chance of data loss (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 958).
I think that the analysis of the data was quite rigorous. The researchers tried to take into account all the factors that affect the safety of food and trace their effects in complex. The influence of such factors as the location of vendors’ stands, number and types of customers, facilities (water source, toilet facilities, hand washing facilities), presence of dirt and dust, insects and animals, presence of garbage nearby, presentation of foods (opened or covered showcase) have been considered and taken into account (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 956). The researchers studied not only the environment but also the way of cooking, practice of reheating food before sale, separation of raw and cooked food, serving of meals, personal hygiene (cleanliness of clothes, hands, fingernails, use of head cover and plastic gloves).
- I think that the researchers made quite clear statements of the findings. These main statements are the following.
Determination of the main types of consumers: young unskilled workers, petty traders, students with no cooking facilities and school children, who eat street food during school days.
The hygiene practices of vendors were insufficient to ensure biomedically safe food, in spite of the fact that both vendors and consumers had concerns about food quality and have basic biomedical knowledge (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 958).
Basic criteria of consumers’ choice of safe food were defined as attractive appearance of the vendor and his stand, trust, built on previous successful purchase and low price (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 959). Customers' notions of food safety are shaped by significant social, sensorial and normative aspects of food quality. Consumers usually rely on individual impression and understanding of food safety.
Consumers don’t want to be more demanding to vendors even despite of their concerns. There is a common opinion in Kumasi, that the expression of customer’s concerns about the quality of food is unacceptable.
Authorities of Kumasi don’t provide systematical assessment of basic food hygiene, that’s why most vendors, in spite their neat appearance neglect the most important sanitary rules of cooking and serving foods (Rheinlander et al. 2008, p 960).
The researchers concluded that the level of education affects on the participants’ level of knowledge about hygiene and safety of food. But this study doesn’t explore the effect of this factor on the notions of Kumasi residents about hygiene and safety of food. Perhaps it would be appropriate to research the impact of this factor more deeply.
As the result of data analysis the main conclusion was made that public health campaigns must take into consideration customers’ special attention to vendors’ appearance and neatness, designing further strategies of communication. Most vendors neglect such aspects of neatness like cleanliness of their kitchen facilities and don’t consider it necessary to wash their hands. The street food sector in Kumasi suffers from its low status and the consumers think it’s not safe to buy this food.
In order to change the status quo in food sector of Kumasi for better its authorities need to understand the reasons for this situation. It is difficult to provide an acceptable level of safety of street food without understanding what motivates people to ignore hygiene rules. Therefore, to develop effective programs of development for the street food sector, it is important to know what negative factors affect it.
The researchers have opinion that those vendors, who are members of associations and networks can potentially improve the quality of food. Effective actions of public health promotion can be started from these food networks.
The importance of this study lies in the gained knowledge about anthropological factors that influence on the level of street food hygiene. Having an understanding of these important factors, depending on people, researchers will be able to work out recommendations for developing more effective methods of monitoring the quality of service in the street food sector.
Reference list
Rheinlander T., Olsen M., Abubakar Bakang J., Takyi H., Konradsen F., & Samuelsen H. (2008), Keeping Up Appearances: Perceptions of Street Food Safety in Urban Kumasi, Ghana, Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 85, 6: 952-964
