This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial quality of street‐vended foods in Korea. The microbiological contamination levels of aerobic mesophilic bacteria ranged from 0 to 7.43 log cfu/g with a mean value of 4.71 ± 1.53 log cfu/g, while the level of total coliforms ranged from 0 to 6.86 log cfu/g with a mean value of 3.24 ± 1.40 log cfu/g. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) were detected in 9% (mean value: 3.75 ± 0.56 log cfu/g) and 3% (mean value: 2.33 ± 0.90 log cfu/g) of 326 examined samples, respectively. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. More than 50% of the isolated SA were found to be enterotoxin producers and these organisms primarily possessed type A toxin genes. Conversely, verocytotoxin‐producing EC were not detected. Taken together, these results indicate that consumption of street‐vended foods may pose a risk of foodborne disease and that good hygienic practices should be required to ensure public health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Accurate and up‐to‐date data for microbiological contamination of ready‐to‐eat foods are necessary for consumer protection to improve sanitary conditions in food processing plants in Korea. Known contamination levels can be used by administrators to establish national regulations for the control of foodborne diseases.

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