There are numerous street-food vendors operating in the State including the cities, villages and more particularly along the coastal belt. These street-food joints are quite popular among tourists visiting the state as well as locals and includes vendors from other states selling pani-puri, shev puri, etc. as also locals who serve ros-omlette and bread-cutlets among other delicacies. Hence it is prudent for these food outlets to follow proper hygiene while preparing and handling food.
It is learnt that the Directorate of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Goa organised a training programme aimed at raising awareness and educating street food vendors on food safety practices and hygiene. The programme titled ‘Serve Safe Food’ is focused on practical knowledge about maintaining cleanliness, adhering to food safety standards and ensuring overall hygiene in the preparation of street food. It is learnt that personal hygiene kits and food safety display boards were distributed to the participants. Such a workshop is a step in the right direction and needs to cover most, if not all, street vendors across the state.
It would be in the fitness of things to make anyone applying for a license for a food joint from the civic body or the village panchayat, to mandatorily undergo a training workshop conducted by the FDA. It should be made compulsary for all street food outlets to possess the ‘food safety display boards’ which should be displayed at a prominent place in the food joint. It needs to be noted that the water used in the cooking plays a vital role in preparing hygienic food hence a check also needs to be maintained on the source of the water that is being used in the cooking.
