G Kamala Vardhana Rao.
Credit: X/@ASSOCHAM4India
Mumbai: In a significant step towards food safety and hygiene ahead of the festival season in Mumbai, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is expanding its training programme for food handlers and promoting on-the-spot rapid adulteration testing.
In this regard, G Kamala Vardhana Rao, FSSAI CEO, held deliberations with Bhushan Gagraani, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Municipal Commissioner and Administrator and Dr K H Govindraj, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra.
During the meeting, Pritee Chaudhary, Regional Director, FSSAI and Anil Patil, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), were present.
“The discussions centered on strategies to step up food safety and hygiene in Mumbai by significantly expanding FSSAI's training program for food handlers and promoting on-the-spot rapid adulteration testing in the city, among a slew of measures,” officials said.
Emphasizing the cultural and economic significance of street food in Mumbai, Rao outlined FSSAI's ambitious plan to significantly increase the number of trained food handlers in the city, under its flagship Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program.
Rao particularly focused on training the street food vendors with an aim to uplift hygiene standards across the city's food streets.
Rao highlighted that over 8 lakh street food vendors and food business operators (FBOs) have already been trained in the city.
Recognizing the critical need for rapid and accessible food safety testing in a city with a population as large as Mumbai's, Rao assured the deployment of additional mobile food testing vans, known as 'Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs).
These vans will enhance the city's capacity for on-the-spot adulteration testing, providing timely and effective food safety checks. This initiative is part of FSSAI's ongoing nationwide pre-festive surveillance drive, ensuring that the food consumed by citizens is safe and free from contaminants.
Moreover, the CEO discussed with the BMC Commissioner the potential development of healthy and hygienic food streets across Mumbai. This initiative aims to establish designated areas where street food vendors can operate under strict hygiene standards, offering safe and delicious food to Mumbaikars and tourists alike.
Another important agenda of the meeting was the promotion of health clubs in Mumbai's schools.
Rao emphasized the importance of instilling healthy eating habits and food safety awareness from a young age which is integral to nurturing a health-conscious generation in the city.