The six-month study would cost a few crores and look at the number of street vendors, their personal hygiene besides the number of people consuming the food along with quality of water used.
UP food commissioner would conduct the study, which would also look into the nutritional value of the street food by measuring its fat and mineral content.
"Indians love street food. But it is important to ensure it is prepared and served in hygienic settings. We had asked the UP government for permission to carry out the study to look at the street food quality in 15 districts, but have received clearance to carry it out in Lucknow and Varanasi," said FSSAI director Pradip Chakraborty.
The decision to standardize street food came after a successful pilot project carried out in Kolkata. The city's safety standards in its street food inspired the Union health ministry to emulate the model across India.
A recent survey of the ministry in 16 cities found over 90% street food unsafe for consumption.
Providing food with less investment and more profit was found to be the first preference of vendors rather than meeting quality requirements.
The FSSAI is thinking of setting up a national coordination committee to identify environmental and contamination risks that street foods face and work towards making it more hygienic.
It has, for the first time, started to look at creating a city-wise action plan on how to make street food safer, more palatable and presentable.
Sources told TOI that as part of a pilot project, 56 areas or streets in eight cities including in four metros will be selected to be developed as model street food zones.
Food commissioners will then identify vendors with the help of police and develop a protocol for them
UP food commissioner would conduct the study, which would also look into the nutritional value of the street food by measuring its fat and mineral content.
"Indians love street food. But it is important to ensure it is prepared and served in hygienic settings. We had asked the UP government for permission to carry out the study to look at the street food quality in 15 districts, but have received clearance to carry it out in Lucknow and Varanasi," said FSSAI director Pradip Chakraborty.
The decision to standardize street food came after a successful pilot project carried out in Kolkata. The city's safety standards in its street food inspired the Union health ministry to emulate the model across India.
A recent survey of the ministry in 16 cities found over 90% street food unsafe for consumption.
Providing food with less investment and more profit was found to be the first preference of vendors rather than meeting quality requirements.
The FSSAI is thinking of setting up a national coordination committee to identify environmental and contamination risks that street foods face and work towards making it more hygienic.
It has, for the first time, started to look at creating a city-wise action plan on how to make street food safer, more palatable and presentable.
Sources told TOI that as part of a pilot project, 56 areas or streets in eight cities including in four metros will be selected to be developed as model street food zones.
Food commissioners will then identify vendors with the help of police and develop a protocol for them
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