Academic literature on the topic 'Street Food'

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD<br>Background: Street foods (SF) contribute significantly to the nutritional intake of adults and children in developing countries. They are inexpensive and a major source of income for a vast multitude. A major concern is the so-called ‘nutrition transition’, which has led to an increase in foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugar and salt, along with processed food items sold on urban community streets in developing countries. These foods contribute to nutritional disorders in the communities where consumed. South Africa’s stable unemployment rate, estimated at 25%, has further influenced business growth in the informal sector, particularly SF vending. As such, a well-developed SF-vending model (SFVM) could potentially address the challenges of unemployment and improve the nutritional status of poorer South Africans. Aim: To develop a sustainable SFVM for selling healthy and safe SF in the City of Cape Town enabling street vendors to make a decent living, and consumers to make healthy choices regarding food purchasing. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed mixed methodology (collecting qualitative and quantitative data). The study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1a: Situation Analysis. This a SF-vendor survey which collected a) socio-demographic factors, b) vendors’ business operational models, c) food items sold, d) available facilities, e) challenges faced, f) certification, and g) nutrition knowledge using a validated questionnaire. An observational checklist capturing data on the appearance of vendors, their stalls, available equipment and type of food sold, supplemented this survey. Phase 1b: A consumer survey included collecting, a) socio-demographic factors, b) purchasing habits, c) consumption preferences, and d) nutrition knowledge using a validated questionnaire. Phase 2a: Semi-structured-interviews and focus group discussions with Environmental Health Officials and Economic Development Officials from the City of Cape Town were conducted to explore the existing -vending regulations and/or policies in the City of Cape Town and gain insight into the SF-vending operations from a regulatory perspective. Phase 2b: A document review was conducted to identify existing regulations and policies on SF vending. Phase 3: conducted in three steps: Step 1, data integration of the previous phases. Step 2, a participatory action research component checking the relevance, acceptability and practicability of identified themes and resulting components from Step 1. Step 3, development of the proposed SFVM using the findings of the previous two steps. Data Analysis: Quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS, 2010 Statistics version 23. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to analyse data. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using the qualitative data software package Atlas ti 7.5.7.Results: Phase 1a: vendors in the Cape Town and surrounding areas work long hours up to seven days a week making a minimal income. Types of food items sold by vendors, their nutrition knowledge and hygiene practices were not ideal. A major lack in basic facilities existed. Phase 2a: SF consumers indicated spending a significant amount of their income on SF, and are open to buying healthier options should these be available. Phase 2a: government officials thought the SF-vending business should be guided by national legislature and provincial bylaws, and felt strongly about nutrition and health education for vendors and consumers. Phase 2b: thirteen regulations and bylaws applicable to SF vending were sourced. Phase 3: Data from the previous phases were integrated within a socio-ecological framework to develop the proposed SFVM. The components of this model are divided into four areas, i.e. a business component, food and nutrition component, hygiene component, and a vending cart. Conclusion: The four components in the proposed SFVM take into account various elements of the socio-ecological framework, i.e. intrapersonal/individual, interpersonal, the physical environment/community and the policy environment. This SFVM should be piloted, evaluated, adapted and before rolling it out on a large scale to test its effectiveness.

This research explores the social life of street food in Hanoi, Vietnam, using a conceptual framework of social sustainability. Although the economic benefits of street vending are widely recognised, little attention has previously been paid to the social aspects. Focusing specifically on the selling of street food through the lens of social sustainability, this research develops a conceptual framework from the literature. The framework comprised eight key themes: social justice, quality of life and well-being, participation, safety and security, social interactions and social networks, social inclusion, sense of place and cultural heritage and was applied empirically to the street food environment of Hanoi. The themes used in the framework were identified as the most pertinent in the literature and were grouped under three broad ideas – social justice, social relations and culture – and used to frame the thesis. The application of the social sustainability framework revealed important details about the social life and social function of the street food environment. It highlighted key areas where street food in Hanoi can be shown to contribute to the principles of social sustainability, such as regarding social relations, cultural heritage and sense of place. It also drew attention to areas that require improvement, including some aspects of social justice, for example, participation, safety and security and food hygiene. The findings of this research suggest the challenges identified that prevent the social sustainability of street food in Hanoi, often manifested themselves through the inequalities experienced between the different types of street food vendors, specifically itinerant or migrant vendors compared to local vendors with fixed selling locations. The thesis argues that the approach adopted in the research offers a useful tool for understanding the social functions of street vending which can be applied and adapted to examine the social sustainability of street food vending in other economic and political contexts.

Street food is a common source of food eaten outside the home in developing countries. The contribution of street foods to the daily nutrient intake has not been adequately addressed in dietary assessment research, in spite of its universality. To establish a base of knowledge regarding street foods from a nutritional standpoint, a three month pilot study was conducted in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during the fall of 1983. One hundred forty-six street food items were identified and classified. Market unit size, cost and caloric and protein values per market unit were determined. A food frequency questionnaire was developed and administered to Haitian secondary school children from varied school tuition categories to assess their street food consumption. Results revealed a wide range of consumption frequencies. The average consumption of calories and protein for the 174 person sample were found to be 401 kcalories and 5.8g of protein. Significant differences in consumption values were found between socioeconomic levels. Little variation was found between age groups. Street food consumption was found to contribute 18% of the recommended dietary allowance for the Caribbean for calories and 15% for protein. Based on a daily nutrient intake of 1580 kcalories and 37g of protein for urban school children, 25% of the calories and 16% of the protein in the overall diet were found to be provided by street foods.<br>Master of Science

This research is an ethnography about the curation of the street food scene in London that looks at processes of cultural calculation to make markets and to assemble marketplaces. The main research question that is guiding this thesis is how is the street food scene in London being curated? This inquiry follows previous research in cultural economies in different scenes of cultural production like advertising, fashion or music (Du Gay and Pryke, 2002; Slater, 2002a; Entwistle, 2006, 2009; McFall, 2002, 2009, 2013; Ariztía, 2015; Negus, 2002; Law, 2002; McRobbie, 2016; Arriagada, 2014; Arriagada and Cruz, 2014). I am focussing on the idea of curation as analytical vehicle to understand the work of cultural intermediaries (Bourdieu, 1984) as a process of value generation, in which they culturally calculate markets (Callon, 1998; Callon, Méadel and Rabeharisoa, 2002; Slater 2002a) and assemble marketplaces (Farías, 2010; McFarlane, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c) by putting together knowledge, people, objects, aesthetics and other materials that configure the scene. This ethnography focusses on the working practices of market organisers, particularly from a company that I will call EAT-LONDON and four food traders who work in these and other markets. Nine months of fieldwork were conducted, working at offices, markets and food stalls across London. Through this empirical work with actors in the street food scene, rich data was obtained with the purpose of analysing how markets are formed in cultural economies, and how markets create place. Curators are actors that shape the social using their embodied and social knowledge to separate businesses, audiences or places based on the distinction of this cultural scene (Johnston and Baumann, 2015; Naccarato and Lebesco, 2012; Cronin et. al., 2014). The practice of curation reveals how economic calculations are also configured by cultural distinctions and how place is assembled and emerging from multiple actors’ relationships and negotiations of value.

Portland, OR, is the site of a unique urban food cart phenomenon that provides opportunities for small business ownership and access points for culturally specific food for the city's foreign-born and minority populations. Known as a "foodie haven," Portland also has an active sustainable food movement with engaged citizens and support from city and regional policies aimed at significantly increasing the consumption of local food. To date, there have been no in-depth studies on the sourcing habits of Portland food cart owners and whether or not these street-level actors are involved in the area's local alternative food movements (AFNs). The current understanding of the Portland food cart phenomenon is based on studies that have focused on carts and pods located in the central business district and "inner-ring" areas of the city. Areas beyond these locations (defined as Eastern Portland) are currently home to the majority of the city's growing foreign-born and minority populations. This thesis uses a situational analysis framework to explore the food supply practices of ethnic food cart owners operating in Eastern Portland cart pods. I investigate the feasibility of purchasing locally grown ingredients for use in ethnic cuisines and the degree to which cart owners incorporate the region's prevailing locavore ethics into their everyday culinary practices. Findings from this inquiry suggest that ethnic cart owners in Eastern Portland have a range of habitus, or personal dispositions and embodied knowledge, that is reflected in how they perceive the benefits of and barriers to "buying local" and the extent (if any) that they engage with AFNs in the Portland area. I assert that ethnic food cart owners in Eastern Portland are performing multiple community roles by providing access points for culturally specific cuisines for their particular ethnic groups, while also offering exotic experiences to other residents and tourists alike. I discuss variations within the food cart phenomenon itself by highlighting the differences in design, amenities, types of access, and neighborhood customer bases of cart pods located in Eastern Portland. Finally, I discuss future research directions for understanding the dynamics of food supply chains in small-scale, direct-to-vendor relationships and the implications for local and regional food sustainability policy goals.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS)<br>The informal economy has continued to increase in developing countries, giving jobs and income to marginalised groups, the majority being women. The rise of the informal sector is perpetuated by exclusionary social policies and the continued increase in unemployment. In Botswana, street food vending, the most visible form of the informal sector trading, has evolved to be a survivalist activity that women populate. Increasing poverty levels, gender inequalities, and high unemployment rates have resulted in poor urban women being vulnerable to the stresses and shocks caused by these factors. Street food vending is therefore pursued by women to mitigate their vulnerability. Additionally, street food vending allows for more flexible working hours, thus accommodating women’s community, household, and productive roles. Despite women’s substantial contribution to Botswana’s informal economy, the government has not done much to support them.

This study is aimed to assess the extent of street food vendor information and education on food safety. Aim: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of street food vendors, within the City of Johannesburg, with regard to food hygiene and safety. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study utilizing a quantitative research approach. Data was collected through face-to-face interviewing of street food vendors, with observations of general hygiene and cleanliness. Data was captured in Excel and imported into CDC Epi Info version 3.4.3 (2007) for analysis. Numerical data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and categorical data was analyzed using frequencies. Bivariate analysis was used to establish differences between regions with high and low proportions of street food vendors with regard to knowledge, practices and attitudes variables.

ABSTRACT    This thesis discusses the changing society and how the urban setting affects how and where people spend their time socializing and eating. The city of Hanoi has undergone changes, which have had an impact on people’s movements, consumption choices and street traders’ livelihood in the city. There are also issues with housing that have arisen, mainly because the city’s expanding growth. The youth of today are living in quite a different social context society than their parents and especially grandparents, due to economic reforms that have rapidly increased the foreign investment and flow of information from the outside world. This has led to some diverging and sometimes conflicting opinions arising from people of different ages possibly having other ideals and values than their parents and grandparents. The state ideals and global influences also affect people’s behaviour and opinions and food choices. I will describe the food scene and changes that have happened to it, due to foreign influences and trade. This study is mainly based on secondary sources, combined with a case study of young people’s eating out food choices based upon my own fieldwork in Hanoi, Vietnam from February to April, 2013. I will situate and contextualize what part food plays for the youths and exploring the difference between street food and fast food and why people would choose one over the other.