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Is Street Food Safe?

Is Street Food Safe?

Do you feel it safe to eat food sold on street corners in Trinidad & Tobago? Regardless to your answer do you eat street food?

Safe Food Street Is

No, I don't. I used to like doubles but not anymore. The level of hygiene is almost non-existent.

Is Street Food Safe? Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

I agree with LDS hygiene where food is concerned is practically non-existent. I will never eat food on the streets because of the following reasons:

1) On TV they always advertise to look for a food badge before buying food from a vendor. I have spoken to one of my friends who is a doctor and he confirmed that some vendors curse, shout and threaten doctors who refuse to give them badges since they do not live up to the hygienic standards. I have actually seen a guy with a dirty bandage around his foot with a clear liquid oozing out of the bandage and lo and behold, he has a food badge!

2) If you sell on the street, the vendor will be subjected to smoke, dust and not to mention people spreading germs quite freely. I remember a friend of mine was dying to buy doubles. She offered to buy me one and I politely refused. I kept her company while she was in the queue and the guy before her, sneezed without covering his nose or making an attempt to turn his head away. Yep! That killed my friend's craving for doubles that day!

3) I have often wondered, where do the vendors go to relieve themselves? I know for a fact that the men, would stand by a nearby wall to urinate but what about washing your hands? Did you ever think about those people serving food after relieving themselves? Not a very pleasant thought!

4) Finally, I wonder how fresh is the food. Sometimes the vendor may have a slow day or night. Would he dispose of the food that was not sold? If there is a little bit left, would he throw it away or incorporate it with fresh food?

So folks, this is why Geenie would never eat street food!

Safe Food Street Is

In all my travels about this world that is one of the things I always found fascinating. Walking past street venders offering food right there. I have stopped at a few of them and looked at what they had to offer. I would buy some if the person was clean and the food looked and smelled fresh. This is back when I still could smell . But most of the time I would just walk away. It sounds like I would not be eating much from street vendors down on your islands.