Street Food: Culture, economy, health and governance (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)

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). "Prepared foods, for sale in streets 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. It is shown how street foods represent a culturally diverse, multifaceted and economically significant phenomenon, particularly for poor or vulnerable groups, including women and migrants. Other key issues addressed include: policy, regulation and governance of street food and vendors; food safety and health; and the contribution of street food to urban food security. Many chapters provide case studies from specific cities in different regions of the world. These include North America (Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Toronto, Vancouver), Central and South America (Bogota, Buenos Aires, La Paz, Lima, Mexico City, Montevideo, Santiago, Salvador da Bahia, Sao Paolo), Asia (Bangkok, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Penang), Africa (Accra, Abidjan, Bamako, Freetown, Mozambique) and Europe (Amsterdam). Such studies illustrate the immense diversity and economic and cultural significance of street food"-- Provided by publisher