A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF RESTAURANTS AND FOOD VENDORS ON FACILITIES AND FOODS AT BARATON CENTER, NANDI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The quality of knowledge and practices of food venders and restaurants is crucial in the control of foodborne

diseases. A preliminary assessment of quality assurance in restaurant facilities and knowledge and practices of

food venders can provide information to create awareness on food health. A survey was conducted on

restaurants at the Baraton Center to assess the knowledge and practices of food venders and restaurant owners

on quality assessment. The study showed that none of the hotel owners or food venders had formal training in

food handling or hotel management. A majority (99.7%) of the respondents, however, wore aprons when

cooking or serving food. Only 30% of the respondents use head caps when working. None of the restaurants

had in-built hand washing sinks, but majority (99.7%) had locally made water dispenser for hand washing. All

of the restaurants had ordinary liquid or bar soap for handwashing but none use antibacterial soap for

handwashing. No restaurant uses an antiseptic or disinfectant solution for cleaning tables and surfaces.

Majority (77%) had toilets which were shared by males and females but none had separate toilets for customers.

Only 4 out of 30 (13%) restaurants had refrigerators or freezers to store food. Twenty-seven percent (8 out of

30) of the restaurants had fly traps hanging from the ceiling. No restaurant had an adequate fencing facility to

ward off pets and domestic animals. Only 10 out of 30 (33%) restaurants had obtained license to operate the

business from the Kapsabet Municipal Council for the year 2017.