Food Safety Behaviour in Traditional Markets: A Narrative Review of Frameworks and Determinants

Food safety behaviour among food handlers in traditional markets remains a persistent public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where vendors operate within informal, resource-constrained environments. This narrative review synthesises current evidence on food safety behaviour in traditional markets, with attention to its multilevel determinants and the theoretical foundations provided by the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory. Literature was identified through targeted searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for publications between 2014 and 2026. Findings indicate that food safety behaviour in traditional markets is shaped by sociodemographic, structural, regulatory, economic, and psychosocial factors operating simultaneously. The Health Belief Model captures individual cognitive appraisal effectively but inadequately addresses structural realities, whereas Social Cognitive Theory complements this gap by emphasising reciprocal determinism. The integration of both frameworks offers a more comprehensive analytical lens for understanding food safety behaviour as a practice shaped by daily market conditions. The review proposes an integrated framework to guide future research, measurement, and intervention development for traditional market vendors working within informal livelihood systems.