- Mumbai's vada pav stalls show improved hygiene amid Maharashtra FDA crackdown
- Surbhi Sweets adopts gloves, head caps, and serves food on paper plates
- Kitchen cleanliness and food storage practices have notably improved
Mumbai is known not just for its local trains and fast-paced lifestyle but also for its iconic vada pav. Millions of Mumbaikars consume the popular street food every day. But along with taste, questions around hygiene and food safety have also become increasingly important.
Amid the Maharashtra FDA's ongoing crackdown on restaurants and food outlets, the impact of the enforcement drive now appears to be reaching smaller and local food stalls as well.
An NDTV ground report from Mumbai's Surbhi Sweets, known for its vada pav, found visible improvements in food hygiene. Employees were seen wearing gloves and head caps, while customers were being served vada pav with tissues and on paper plates.
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The most significant changes were visible in the kitchen. The food preparation area was being kept clean, while greater attention was being paid to food storage and cold storage. The outlet also displays its FSSAI licence and states that groundnut oil is used for preparing food.
According to the shop manager, Lalit Sharma, food safety and hygiene standards are being followed at the outlet. He said the cooking oil is changed twice a day, while gloves and head caps are mandatory for employees. Paper plates and tissues are also provided to customers.
Mumbaikars Say: "Thank you, Tukaram Mundhe Ji."
Customers speaking to NDTV also welcomed the changes and said greater awareness about cleanliness and hygiene is essential.
One customer praised the action being taken by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, saying that governments often introduce policies after an illness outbreak or an accident. However, proactively focusing on food quality and hygiene can help prevent people from falling sick in the first place.
The developments indicate that the FDA's enforcement drive may be creating a wider "fear factor" among food businesses. While it may not be possible for the department to continuously monitor every small food stall, action against larger establishments appears to be sending a strong message to smaller businesses to improve hygiene practices themselves.
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The changes also raise a larger question: if enforcement against major hotels and restaurants results in better hygiene standards at small food stalls, could this directly benefit millions of Mumbaikars who rely on street food every day?
