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Introduction

While India’s informal food sector embodies cultural vibrancy and economic livelihood, it increasingly grapples with safety lapses that undermine public health. These concerns highlight a widening gap between informal vendors and the organised packaged food industry, demanding urgent scrutiny of existing standards and regulatory oversight.

Body

Significant Safety Challenges in the Informal Food Sector

• Poor Hygiene and Handling Practices: Unregulated street vendors often use contaminated water, lack hand hygiene, and operate without basic sanitation.
  Eg: Food Safety Department raids in Chennai found pani puri vendors using unsafe water and unhygienic handling.
• High Incidence of Food-Borne Illnesses: Unsafe cooking practices and adulterated ingredients heighten disease burden.
  Eg: ORF analysis estimates 100 million food-borne illnesses and 1,20,000 deaths annually, largely linked to informal food sources.
• Unsafe Cooking Methods: Repeated reuse of oil creates harmful trans fats and toxins.
  Eg: Frequent localised food poisoning episodes in small eateries due to reheated oils and improper cooking.
• Lack of Traceability and Accountability: Unpackaged foods lack labelling, expiry dates, or source verification, limiting consumer protection.
  Eg: FSSAI can enforce traceability in packaged foods, but informal vendors operate outside structured oversight.
• Incentive for Cost-Cutting and Adulteration: Cheaper adulterated raw materials are used to maximise profit margins.

Need for a Robust Regulatory Framework to Ensure Public Health Safety

• Standardised National-Level Vendor Training: Mandatory hygiene certification can bridge skill gaps in safe food handling.
  Eg: FSSAI–BMC training modules in Mumbai on hygiene, storage, and waste disposal.
• Stronger Enforcement and Regular Inspections: Increasing food safety officers and conducting periodic audits can ensure compliance.
  Eg: Chennai’s coordinated multi-agency inspections revealed systemic lapses that routine checks could prevent.
• Integration of Informal Vendors into Regulatory Systems: Formal registration enhances monitoring, accountability, and grievance redress.
  Eg: Initiatives like Eat Right India and Clean Street Food Hub (CSFH) integrate vendors under a rating-based compliance model.
• Use of Technology for Monitoring and Reporting: Digital platforms for vendor registration, hygiene rating, and consumer reporting can improve transparency.
  Eg: Online hygiene ratings for eateries in metros help consumers make safer choices.
• Public Awareness and Behavioural Change Campaigns: Educating consumers on safe food choices encourages demand for hygienic vendors.
  Eg: FSSAI-led nationwide campaigns promoting safe food during festivals.

Conclusion

The rising cases of contamination and food-borne illnesses underscore the urgent need for systematic reforms. Strengthening monitoring, expanding vendor training, and enforcing uniform protocols are essential to protect consumers. Ensuring safe food cannot wait, India must prioritise regulatory overhaul to secure public health and restore trust.

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