Minister lauds FSSAI for training more than 3 lakh street food vendors

New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, on Saturday commended FSSAI for its efforts in reinforcing India’s food safety ecosystem, particularly through widespread capacity-building and grassroots initiatives.

He noted that FSSAI has trained over three lakh street food vendors nationwide and highlighted the ‘Eat Right India’ programmes, including the ‘Eat Right Street Food Hub’, as a model demonstrating that traditional food practices can align seamlessly with modern safety standards.

He was speaking at the Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2025, hosted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at the Bharat Mandapam.

The two-day summit served as a dynamic platform for international collaboration, policy dialogue, and knowledge exchange on critical issues of food safety and regulation, bringing together national and international regulators, policymakers, industry leaders, and experts.

Jadhav stated that "food is not merely fuel for our bodies, but the foundation of a healthy mind and conscious living.”

He also highlighted the transformative role of scientific research and innovation in advancing food safety and public health globally, while emphasising India’s commitment to harmonising food safety standards internationally and urging global food regulatory bodies to collaboratively address emerging challenges.

Jadhav also acknowledged the participation of dignitaries from more 70 countries and International Organisations, reflecting the collective commitment towards protecting consumers health and promote fare trade.

Dr VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, stated that, “There is a need to harmonise global regulations for Bio-manufactured food and this sentiment has been echoed in this summit emphatically.”

He also highlighted that through regulatory frameworks such as “Ayurveda Aahara Regulations,” traditional food must be validated and promoted.

This also enables safe integration of our traditional and healthy food into the global system, he added.

Rajit Punhani, FSSAI CEO, emphasised that together, “we can build resilient, transparent, and future-ready food systems that safeguard public health and foster trust across borders.”

—IANS

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