GoK to Conduct Food Safety Drive for Street Vendors
The Karnataka Government will expand its food-safety initiatives to street-food vendors, with a greater focus on hygiene, awareness and safe food-handling practices, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader said at an Interactive Session on Food Safety, organized by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in Bengaluru.
Addressing the gathering, Khader said that after strengthening food-safety enforcement across hotels, restaurants and other establishments, the Government would now focus on creating greater awareness among street-food vendors.
The initiative will cover hygiene during food preparation and serving, cleanliness, safe handling of ingredients and responsible use of cooking oil.
Welcoming the Government’s continued focus on food safety, CA K. Ravi, President, BCIC, says industry and government need to work together to strengthen standards and build greater consumer confidence. “Food safety is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is a fundamental pillar of public health, consumer confidence and economic development. Government–industry collaboration is essential to ensure the well-being of citizens and strengthen food-safety standards across the sector,” Ravi says.
Also Read: IHG, United Hospitality Sign 50-Key Garner Hotel in Jim Corbett
BCIC also expressed its intent to join hands with the Government of Karnataka in taking forward the food-safety initiatives suggested by the Minister, through industry participation, awareness-building and collaborative programmes.
Street-food vendors cater to a significant section of the population and are an important part of the food ecosystem, he said, adding that food safety cannot be achieved through inspections alone. Greater education and awareness among vendors, food handlers, businesses and consumers are equally critical to improving standards.
Karnataka has intensified food-safety inspections across the State in recent weeks, with the Government stating that the objective is to protect public health and improve compliance rather than disrupt legitimate businesses. Khader has also said establishments are expected to follow prescribed standards relating to purity, quality, hygiene and food handling. Khader also announced that Karnataka plans to host a national-level conclave of Food Safety Officers and Commissioners in October, bringing together officials from different states to deliberate on strengthening the country’s food-safety framework.
The conclave is expected to facilitate the exchange of best practices followed by different states, identify gaps in existing food-safety systems and examine areas where rules or regulations may require strengthening.
The discussions are also expected to help formulate recommendations that can be taken up with the Central Government where necessary. Recent reporting has also indicated that Karnataka is planning an all-India health conclave in Bengaluru in the third week of October involving state officials, FSSAI representatives and other stakeholders.
Khader also highlighted the need to address the repeated reuse of cooking oil by food establishments. He said the Government is looking at mechanisms through which used cooking oil can be collected and diverted for alternative use instead of being repeatedly used for preparing food.
Also Read: Aashish Agarwal Joins 360 ONE WAM Group as CEO
One option being explored is collaboration with biodiesel companies, which can procure used cooking oil from hotels and other food establishments and use it as raw material for biodiesel production. Such a mechanism could give establishments an alternative channel for disposal while discouraging unsafe reuse.
Khader emphasised that strengthening food safety requires coordinated action from government agencies, businesses, street vendors and consumers. Alongside enforcement, sustained awareness and practical education will be essential to building a stronger food-safety culture across Karnataka.
Delivering a special address, Dr. V. Pasupathy, National Advisor, FHRAI and National Award recipient for Food Safety, said responsibility for food safety must extend beyond kitchen operations and involve senior management.
Also Read: Decentro Becomes Early Licensed Platform to Go Live With CKYC 2.0
“Food safety is not merely a kitchen responsibility; instead it is a management responsibility. In the last 90 days, across the country, 11,216 food-safety raids have resulted in 172 suspension notices, 519 criminal cases and 926 improvement notices with fines,” Dr. Pasupathy says.
He says that FSSAI assesses hotels on 51 questions carrying 126 marks, while 44 marks directly concern the owner and General Manager, highlighting the importance of leadership oversight. He also pointed out that 46 percent of recent suspension notices were related to raw-material management.
The session focused on food-safety and hygiene standards, compliance and enforcement updates, industry best practices and building consumer confidence and was organised under the aegis of BCIC’s Hospitality, Tourism & Travel Expert Committee.