Assessment of Food Hygiene Practices Among Food Vendors in Tertiary Institutions in Plateau State

This study assesses food hygiene practices among food vendors operating within tertiary institutions in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. The proliferation of food-borne illnesses linked to poor hygiene in campus food service environments has raised public health concerns among institutional administrators and health educators. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, targeting vendors in three tertiary institutions in Jos North local government area. A structured observation checklist and questionnaire were used to gather data from 180 respondents. Objectives include evaluating vendors' knowledge of food safety standards, identifying common hygiene violations, and determining the factors influencing compliance with food safety regulations. Recent literature confirms that informal food vendors in Nigerian tertiary environments frequently lack formal training in food safety protocols. Data were analysed using mean scores, standard deviation, and chi-square. The Health Belief Model underpins the study, positing that individuals' health-related behaviours are shaped by perceived susceptibility and perceived benefits of action. Findings are expected to reveal critical gaps in hygiene knowledge and practice compliance, particularly regarding personal hygiene and food storage. Recommendations address the Plateau State Ministry of Health, institutional authorities, and Home Economics departments to institutionalise vendor training and certification requirements. Keywords: food hygiene, food vendors, tertiary institutions, food safety, Plateau State.