FSSAI and BMC Join Forces to Educate 10,000 Street Vendors in Mumbai for Safer Food Practices

Mumbai, Dec 23 (NationPress) The delicious streetside vada-pavs, bhelpuri, and pav-bhaji that countless individuals indulge in daily throughout the city may soon be accompanied by improved food safety and hygiene practices – thanks to a collaborative effort by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as stated by officials on Monday.

Through this innovative initiative, the FSSAI plans to educate approximately 10,000 street food vendors on crucial lessons regarding food safety and hygiene, ensuring that the wide variety of foods they offer from street stalls, carts, and even mobile vans meet essential safety standards.

The aim of this program is to mitigate public health risks and protect Mumbaikars from the dangers of consuming contaminated or unhygienic food that, although beloved, could adversely affect their health.

During the signing of a memorandum of understanding, BMC Administrator Bhushan Gagrani and FSSAI CEO G. Kamalvardhan Rao were accompanied by senior officials including Vipin Sharma, Sanjog Kabre, Daksha Shah (BMC), alongside Preeti Chaudhary and K.U. Methekar (FSSAI).

The experts from FSSAI will provide training to street food vendors on vital topics such as food safety, personal hygiene, cleanliness, the preparation area, cooking methods, food hygiene processes, safe handling, storage, waste management, and insights into the Food Safety and Standards Act.

On this occasion, Gagrani highlighted that Mumbai is a bustling metropolis where people cherish their connections with street food vendors, making it essential to properly train them to safeguard the health of the city's residents.

Consequently, licensed street food vendors in Mumbai will receive training that enables them to offer clean, hygienic, and fresh food to citizens, supporting the goal of maintaining a healthy population with access to quality food.

The MoU outlines a commitment to ongoing educational sessions for street food vendors throughout the year, in partnership with BMC and FSSAI, initially benefiting around 10,000 licensed vendors across all 227 electoral divisions and wards in the city.

The primary goal of this training initiative is to enhance vendors' understanding and skills regarding food safety regulations, hygiene practices, and safe food handling, while also raising awareness of the 'Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006', reducing public health risks, and discouraging the consumption of unsafe food among Mumbaikars.

The BMC will facilitate maximum participation from street food vendors, providing necessary resources and support for training, with certificates awarded to those who successfully complete the program.

The FSSAI will develop and deliver standardized training modules through qualified trainers and experts, distributing reading materials and guidelines for street food vendors, alongside assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of the training.

A Joint Coordination Committee will be established between the BMC and the FSSAI, comprising three members from each organization, to oversee various initiatives, ensure effective implementation, and regularly review progress.

Officials confirmed that street food vendors will be educated on basic hygiene practices as specified in Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Rules, 2011.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)