<![CDATA[Food safety is an essential aspect of public health. Unhygienic eating utensils from street food vendors can act as a transmission medium for pathogenic microorganisms causing foodborne diseases. This study aims to determine the overview of Total Plate Count (TPC), the presence of Escherichia coli, and the washing patterns of eating utensils used by street food vendors across four sub-districts in the Palembang City area. This research utilized a quantitative descriptive design. The population comprised street food vendors selling ready-to-eat food, with a sample of 30 eating utensils (plates) obtained through an accidental sampling technique. Data were collected by observing washing patterns and conducting laboratory tests using the Pour plate method (for TPC) and Compact Dry EC (for E. coli). Microbiological examination results revealed that 100% of the utensil samples (30 plates) Did Not Meet the Standard (Tidak Memenuhi Syarat/TMS) for TPC values, with an average contamination of 56.79 CFU/cm2. The E. coli examination showed 7 samples (23.3%) were positive and 23 samples (76.7%) were negative. Observation of washing patterns indicated that the vast majority of vendors (90.0%) applied "Not Good" washing practices, with only 10.0% categorized as "Good". The high level of contamination is closely associated with the use of stagnant water systems (without running water) and the absence of a disinfection stage.]]>
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