Street food handlers' food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices and consumers' perceptions about street food vending in Maseru, Lesotho

Purpose Food safety knowledge and hygienic practices by food handlers play an important role in the prevention of contamination prepared. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive survey was conducted Maseru around taxi ranks amongst 48 93 consumers using a semi-structured questionnaire for assessing handler knowledge, attitudes practices, open-ended obtaining consumer perceptions observation checklist. Findings Majority were females (60%) males constituted only (40%). The mean age 35.5 ± 10.3 28.2 9.9 respectively street vendors consumers. There statistically significant difference among trained untrained ( p = 0040). On average vendor population that participated this study considered to have poor (scores < 50%) since they scored 49% 11, while 84% respondents positive towards safety. Only 6% reported never buy vended foods mainly due hygiene issues. checklist showed operated under unhygienic conditions there scarcity clean water supply hand washing facilities. Originality/value provides previously unknown about vending Lesotho. It has significantly added body on Lesotho which can be used modify policies structure training people involved informal trade.