Prepared foods, for sale in streets, squares or markets, are ubiquitous around the world and throughout history. This volume is one of the first to provide a comprehensive social science perspective on street food, illustrating its immense cultural diversity and economic significance, both in developing and developed countries.
Prepared foods, for sale in streets, squares or markets, are ubiquitous around the world and throughout history. This volume is one of the first to provide a comprehensive social science perspective on street food, illustrating its immense cultural diversity and economic significance, both in developing and developed countries.
Key issues addressed include: policy, regulation and governance of street food and vendors; production and trade patterns ranging from informal subsistence to modern forms of enterprise; the key role played by female vendors; historical roots and cultural meanings of selling and eating food in the street; food safety and nutrition issues. Many chapters provide case studies from specific cities in different regions of the world. These include North America (Atlanta, Philadelphia, Portland, Toronto, Vancouver), Central and South America (Bogota, Buenos Aires, La Paz, Lima, Mexico City, Montevideo, Santiago, Salvador da Bahia), Asia (Bangkok, Dhaka, Penang), Africa (Accra, Abidjan, Bamako, Freetown, Mozambique) and Europe (Amsterdam).
"This book cites a UN report that 2.6 billion people eat street food daily, so these conditions are apparently met on many streets. In a collection of 15 studies, plus a final discussion, academics trained in sociology, nutrition, political science, business, and other disciplines produce a broad picture of the functions of street-food vendors around the world. Some vendors, especially in developing countries, provide both an important source of nutrition and employment opportunities in cities growing faster than their infrastructures can keep pace with. Other vendors offer prosperous consumers in richer countries an introduction to a variety of ethnic foods. An interesting look into an understudied industry. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers." - CHOICE, J. M. Nowakowski, Muskingum University
