ASSESSMENT OF FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES AMONG TAL SOLARIN UNIVERSITY FOOD VENDORS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATES (OSOSA CAMPUS, ODOGBOLU L.G. AS THE CASE STUDY)

Abstract Foodborne illnesses remain a major prblic health concern in Nigeria, particularly among students whe frequently patronize food vendors within university campuses. This sted assessed food safety practices among food vendors al Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ososa Campus and examined their relationship with faadbarne illness experiences among undergraduates. A structured questionnaire rated on a 4-point Likert scale wax administered ta 353 students fof which 340 valid responses were analyced) and 10 food venders. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Sacied Aciences (SPSS, version 25). Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage and neo scores) were used fo simmarize responses, while chi-square tests were employed to fest drypotiteses ata GS level af significdnee, Mindings revealed that a mafority of the students (37.494) were female and within the 23— 2 vearsige eroup. Most students (61.8%) purchased food daily from campus vendors, ineicarie high expasure to vendor practices, Analysis of the Likert-scale responses showed that students demonstrated satisfactory knawledge of food safety (average mean 3.20) and maintained @ positive artitide ieward vendor hygiene (mean = 3.14). However, a comsbleraile minber (76.3%) reported having suffered foodborne illness such as typhoid and diarrhea, with a mean score of 2.87, indicating that awareness did notehvavs translate into safe consumption behavior. Food vendors displayed good but inconsistent hygiene practices (average mean =3,35), with Yon reporting regular hand washing and 60% maintaining proper food storage, bul only 40% having formal food-safety training. Comparative analysis showed that while both siidents and vendors possessed similar food safety awareness (students = 3,29: vendors = 3.33), foodborne illness remained prevalent due ta lapses in compliance lnferential analysis using the Chi-square fest revealed a significant association (y 32.77, df = 1, p < 0.05) between vendor hygiene and students' foodborne illness occurrence, leading ta the rejection of the mull hypothesis. This indicates that students ; ie tho patronized vendors with poor hveiene were significantly more likely ta repar't iffmess, Based ort the findings, the stuey conchiced that withaugh both students and vendors have fir knowledge af food safety, nan-comnliance with hveiene standards and inadequate oaniering comteihupe td free tient foodborne iHesses It is recanimended that the Cniversith management iyplearerst permdic foged-safer (roti, ensnre strict inspection af venenr steliy, ced enforee sanitanen paticies ta protect the health af students an CURES Keywords: Poodhurne Winess, aw Sulety Preoctices, Vendors, Students, SPSS, Chieqjklare,