Just when one thought the traditional ‘pao’ and ‘poie’ were losing out to sliced bread comes news that bakeries producing it are proliferating at a speed that is difficult for the FDA to keep track. The allegation made by an NGO that illegal bakeries have started producing this traditional bread has forced the government to enforce some form of registration. Henceforth all cycles used by ‘poders’ of the local and migrated varieties will have to be registered with the panchayat or municipality. Poders cycling from house to house will have to carry a board giving name of the bakery and contact number. These measures might not have a direct impact on the quality of pao, but will give consumers a contact point for registering complaints and help separate the wheat (legal bakeries) from the chaff. It is a step in the right direction, but if one is to bring some uniformity in the taste and texture of the ‘pao’ and ‘poie’, standardisation is the way. Truth is, standards have fallen and one of the reasons is that production is fast moving into the hands of migrants who are learning the trade but missing out on the tradition. The government must intervene and kick start the process for standardisation of the ‘pao’ and ‘poie’. There is no other way to preserve the formula handed to Goa by the Portuguese.
