In West Africa, street food vending is a growing urban phenomenon. Street foods play important social, economic, food security and nutritional roles.

Unfortunately, they are one of the main transmission routes of pathogenic microorganisms to consumers. This project is aimed at improving street-vended food hygiene and safety in Benin using evidence-based approaches.

This research involves the development of a probabilistic model to describe the health risk associated with selected street foods contaminated by pathogenic bacteria (pathogenic E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, or Bacillus cereus). This model is intended to scientifically determine whether or not there is a health risk related to the selected street foods (SSF) and highlight the main factors that drive it.

The research will then conduct basic experiments in a laboratory setting to prove to the selected street vendors the existence of microorganisms although invisible with the naked eye, and how their hygienic practices can affect their contamination and growth in food.

It is expected that with this evidence, street vendors who are generally illiterate in Africa, will develop a more positive attitude towards food hygiene.

The research outcomes include:

1. Increased insight into the SSF handling practices and consumption pattern;
2. Documented prevalence and concentration of pathogenic bacteria in the SSF
3. A probabilistic model describing the health risk associated with the SSF;
4. Improved attitudes to hygiene practices from street food vendors in Benin;
5. Street food vendors in Benin are trained to perform safety and hygiene control practices.

The project is based on a co-creation approach with the involvement of different groups of stakeholders to ensure its success and sustainability.