FSSAI expands street vendor training to ensure safer food nationwide

FSSAI training: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is intensifying its efforts to train street vendors across the country, aiming to improve food safety for the public. FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao announced these plans following a high-level meeting in Mumbai.

The meeting, chaired by Bhushan Varsha Ashok Gagrani, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), focused on devising strategies to elevate Mumbai’s renowned street food to meet global safety and hygiene standards. The initiative includes the development of Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets (HHFS) in Mumbai, which could serve as a model for other cities.

Senior officials from FSSAI, along with representatives from municipal corporations in Thane, Nagpur, Nasik, and Pune, participated in the discussions. The primary agenda was to ensure that the food sold by street vendors was safe, healthy, and sustainable. The meeting underscored the importance of a three-pronged approach: orange for safety, white for health, and green for sustainability, drawing inspiration from the "Har Ghar Tiranga" theme.

Gagrani stressed Mumbai’s vibrant street food culture, which is a significant attraction for both locals and tourists. He highlighted that rigorous training for street food vendors would not only enhance food safety but also boost the city’s popularity as a food destination.

Rao outlined the role of FSSAI’s Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program, which equips food handlers with up-to-date knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices. He announced that FSSAI is scaling up these training initiatives nationwide, with a particular focus on increasing the number of trained street food vendors in Mumbai.

The meeting, held on August 13, 2024, also saw the attendance of KH Govindraj, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department, and Pritee Chaudhary, Regional Director of FSSAI’s West Region. They discussed various strategies to strengthen food safety measures across Mumbai, ensuring that the city's street food aligns with the highest standards of health and hygiene.

(with PTI inputs)