From vada pav wrapped in old newspapers to brightly coloured street-food dishes, some familiar sights of Mumbai‘s food culture may be changing following a reported food-safety crackdown in the city.
A viral video by content creator Shivu has highlighted several changes among street vendors and eateries, including the use of butter paper instead of newspapers, greater use of gloves and hairnets, cleaner utensils and clearer food-label information.
Vada pav gets a cleaner wrap
One of the most noticeable changes highlighted in the video is the way vada pav is packaged.
Instead of wrapping the popular snack in newspapers, some vendors are reportedly using clean butter paper. The change is significant because direct contact between food and newspaper ink has raised food-safety concerns.
For a city where street food forms an important part of everyday life, even a small change in how snacks are served can have a noticeable impact.
Vendors focus on cleaner preparation
The video also shows chefs and food vendors using gloves and hairnets while preparing food.
Cooking utensils, plates and pans are reportedly receiving greater attention, with the creator even conducting a tissue-wipe check on a plate to demonstrate its cleanliness.
Another change concerns the use of artificial colours. The video suggests that some eateries have reduced the use of bright artificial dyes in dishes such as Manchurian and chutneys, resulting in more natural-looking food.
Food labels become easier to check
The reported changes extend beyond kitchens and food stalls.
Some packaged local products, including bread and toast, as well as ketchup bottles at eateries, are shown displaying information such as maximum retail price, ingredients and expiry dates.
These details can help customers make more informed choices about the food they purchase.
Viral video sparks praise online
The video, captioned “Badlav”, meaning “change”, has attracted more than 35.5 million views, along with nearly two million likes and thousands of comments.
Many social media users praised Maharashtra’s state food safety commissioner Tukaram Mundhe and credited stricter enforcement for the changes.
“One officer doing his job brought this much change,” one commenter wrote.
Mumbai’s vibrant street-food culture is unlikely to disappear. However, the viral response suggests that customers are welcoming efforts to make everyday food preparation cleaner, safer and more transparent — one sheet of butter paper, pair of gloves and freshly cleaned plate at a time.