Street flavours, now with a safety tag

The Karnataka High Court’s directive to formulate hygiene and safety regulations for street vendors and food trucks marks a progressive step in the evolution of India’s food governance. While disposing of a petition filed by major hotel associations in the state, Justice M Nagaprasanna directed that the Centre categorise guidelines under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) based on the scale of operations – small, medium, and large establishments. This approach, if implemented with sensitivity and foresight, can ensure that equitable and rigorous standards of food safety apply across the full spectrum, from fine dining to the humble roadside cart. Significantly, the court anchored its reasoning in the global framework of the Codex Alimentarius, an international reference system established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to promote food safety, fair trade practices, and consumer confidence. By invoking a benchmark that governs everything from food additives to handling of raw materials, the court has asserted that India’s food safety architecture can no longer remain insular in an interconnected world where hygiene, health, and commerce converge. Effective implementation of such standards could elevate the standing of Karnataka and India’s celebrated street food sector on the global stage.

The sector feeds millions each day, serving as a vital source of affordable nourishment and an expression of the nation’s culinary diversity. Yet it largely operates in an informal environment where hygiene lapses are frequent. The purpose of graded regulation must not be punitive but transformative, raising standards without stifling enterprise or eroding livelihoods. The emphasis should be on capacity building through training, standardised operating procedures, and access to essential infrastructure such as clean water and waste disposal. With such support, street cuisine can aspire to match the exacting benchmarks of ‘Michelin food streets’ in cities like Bangkok and Singapore.

However, the path to reform must be carefully, even delicately, trodden. The greatest danger lies in letting regulation become a pretext for harassment or exclusion of small operators. Excessive compliance costs, opaque licensing norms, or arbitrary enforcement could turn a well-intentioned policy into another instrument of exploitation. To prevent this, the framework must be simple, transparent, participatory, and fair. The High Court has shown the way by marrying a graded system with a global outlook. It is now incumbent upon both the state and central governments to strike a fine balance between public health and economic sustenance. If this succeeds, our street food can not only be safe, but also world-class.