The SFVP, Your Guide to Safe Street Food in Ghana

Whether it's energy boosting lunch, a well-deserved box of noodles after a long day, or a hot cup of "koko" to get you going, look out for the SFVP. Get ready to say goodbye to food safety concerns and hello to safe, delicious street food with the help of the SFVP.

The Street Food Vendor Permit (SFVP) is an initiative by the FDA Ghana. This article will demystify the SFVP and show you how to use it to ensure food safety when buying street food in Ghana. We'll explore all you need to know about the SFVP and why it's a superb initiative for the health and well-being of consumers.

A Superb Initiative

The FDA Ghana's SFVP is not just a good initiative but a superb one. It should be the consumers' friend and favorite cheatsheet when buying street food.

The SFVP saves you from wondering whether the ingredients used were safe or whether the vendor cooked under hygienic conditions. Instead, this initiative addresses the primary food safety concerns that can affect public health.

A Global Food Culture

Did you know that street food is integral to food culture globally? From New Zealand's fish and chips, Mexico's tacos, hot dogs of the US, Germany's currywurst, and Italy's arancini to takoyaki, aloo tikki, and pad thai from Asia, street foods are crucial. In Africa, street food is sold in various forms, including grilled meat, stews, and fried or roasted plantains.

According to Bellia et al., 2016 an estimated 2.5 billion people depend on street food globally. The FAO defines street food as ready-to-eat foods and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors or hawkers, especially in the streets and other similar places. 

Street food is increasingly popular in urban settings due to its affordability, convenience, and variety. In addition, street food is often much cheaper than dining in restaurants and is accessible to people with different budgets. 

Moreover, Street Food Vending has also become a go-to source of income and informal employment for many households, further elevating its socioeconomic importance. 

The Food Safety Concern 

Street food's nutritional, economic, social, and cultural importance remains undisputed. However, national and local authorities and international organizations agree on the critical food safety concern associated with street food. 

There are concerns about food being prepared, stored, and transported under poor hygienic conditions and the handlers needing to observe personal hygiene. Another cause of worry is the integrity and safety of the ingredients used for street food. 

While we love street food as it's easy on the pocket and very convenient, we should love our health more. However, are we to steer clear of street food? That's where FDA Ghana's SVFP comes in.

SFVP Your Street Food Safety Indicator 

The SVFP is a food safety indicator. It's like hearing FDA say, "this street food vendor has been vetted and approved by the FDA." Only here, it is not just vetting and approving. Instead, it's a well-thought-out process with the consumer's safety in mind.

Before any vendor gets this FDA approval seal, here's what happens.

• An inquiry into the source of ingredients used. 
• Verifying Medical Certification of Vendor and all workers.  
• Training on Good Hygienic Practices for the Vendor.
• Inspection of the preparation premises.
• Inspection of the point of sale (if different from the site of preparation) 

The FDA scores the inspection as Overall Safety Score in percentage (1-100%). 

SFVP Overall Safety Score (OSS)

The OSS is what gives you street food safety assurance. The Overall Safety Score measures how compliant your favorite street food vendor is. While you may not see the score on the permit, you can understand it. It uses a Star rating system. 

• An 80% to 100% score earns a 2-star rating and a Street Food Vending Permit (SFVP). 
• A 50% to 79% score earns 1 star and an SFVP. 
• A 49% and below score earns 0 stars though it may earn an SVFP.

Moreover, a vendor must maintain a score of 80% to 100% on subsequent inspections to earn additional stars. Finally, it may interest you that there's a color scale to the star rating system. We have white, wine, orange, green, and gold backgrounds from lowest to highest.

Here's How To Use the SFVP

Here's what you'll see at your favorite street food vendor.

• An SFVP with a star or 2 stars. 

This is the FDA telling you the vendor is approved and has a great OSS. 

• An SFVP Sticker without a Star. 

This indicates an approved vendor with OSS too low to earn a star.

• No SFVP Sticker (Of course, there won't be a star).

This vendor's OSS is too low to earn a sticker and, thus, is not approved by the FDA. However, this could also be because the vendor has yet to register for the SFVP. 

So by looking for the presence or absence of the SFVP Sticker and Star(s), you can assess how safe the street food is. So while looking out for affordability, look out for the SFVP Sticker.

Assurance of Food Safety

When you buy from a 2-star rated street food vendor, you have a better assurance of food safety. That vendor has FDA Ghana's "vetted and approved" seal.

The SFVP tells you how safe street food in Ghana is. With it, you can navigate street food vendors and find a vendor that has been trained and has an outstanding Overall Safety Score.

Another fantastic feature of the SFVP is that vendors are inspected quarterly(every three months). This inspection frequency will keep vendors compliant always and continually improving. 

The Bottom Line 

Street foods are an integral part of global food culture, offering convenience and affordability to millions of people. However, regardless of its popularity, street food can only be considered food if it is safe. FDA Ghana's SFVP is an excellent tool for assuring food safety.