FSSAI Ties Up With Coca-Cola To Train 50,000 Food Vendors

NEW DELHI: Food regulator FSSAI today tied up with Coca-Cola India to train 50,000 street food vendors over the next three years and plans to rope in other players like ITC and Mondelez under its Clean Street Food campaign.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also looking to bring other companies such as Yum Restaurants, Tetra Pak under the project. The regulator had collaborated with FMCG major Nestle to train street vendors in Goa last year.

FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said many companies are coming forward to participate under the initiative.

"With ITC, we are launching a programme to reach out to 10,000 schools on safe and nutritious food at schools," he said.

Agarwal said FSSAI will focus on spreading awareness about nutrition and safe food through its partnership with Mondelez and is also working with Dominos to train food vendors across country.

The regulators association with Coca-Cola India would work around its 15 bottling stations under its CSR project Parivartan.

Commenting on the development, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia

President Venkatesh Kini said: "This collaboration with FSSAI provides an opportunity and broadens the horizons of Coca-Colas Parivartan initiative."

Under the partnership, the programme will be rolled out in phased manner with the first leg to be initiated by mid-April in Ludhiana, Punjab.

Over the next three years, it plans to expand to 14 other locations through bottling plant network of Coca-Cola India covering 9 states.

When asked about new ruled for labeling, Agarwal said it has been finalised and is awaiting for approval from the government.

He said the industry would give adequate time to gear up of changes at their inventory and production line.

On being asked whether it would be notified in two months, Agarwal said: "It would be done much before that."

Over the pictorial warning as food labels, he said: "Its going to be very modern and contemporary."

"They would take some time as their inventory and packaging materials need to be updated," said Agarwal, adding that: "We are developing an index for compliance of that."

Over fortification of edible oil, he said: "They are doing it but other staples are far more challenging. Rice and wheat flour would me more challenging. But in wheat flour, ITC is coming out, HUL is doing it. With big four five companies are doing it, rest would follow. Patanjali is also going for that". 

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