Ahmedabad: Food inspectors are no longer the only people judging hygiene at street food stalls in the city. You can walk up to a registered stall, scan the displayed QR code and rate the vendor — one to five stars — on cleanliness, food safety, and hygiene in less than 30 seconds. Each response is logged into a live civic database that is building a real-time, data-driven food safety map for the city.Under the “first-of-its-kind citizen feedback system for street food vendors”, the civic body has already gathered over 24,000 responses from food lovers across the city. So far, 10,103 vendors have registered with the AMC. Officials say the exercise is helping them identify both good performers and areas of concern.The rating system is straightforward. Each registered vendor carries a unique QR code linked to their GPS location and mobile number. Customers can scan the code and rate the stall on a one-to-five-star scale based on cleanliness, food handling and overall hygiene standards. The ratings are then compiled zone-wise, giving civic officials a constantly updated snapshot of food safety conditions across Ahmedabad.An analysis of 4,190 responses offers an early glimpse into the city’s street food hygiene scores. In the South Zone, 856 vendors received five-star ratings, while 541 earned four stars and 63 received three stars. The East Zone recorded 546 vendors with five-star ratings, while the Central Zone reported 242 five-star and 64 four-star ratings. The North Zone stood out for a different reason: it recorded the highest number of one-star ratings, with nine vendors flagged by consumers.AMC officials say the initiative marks a shift from relying solely on inspections to involving citizens directly in monitoring hygiene standards. “This is the first public interface where people are giving their opinions about street food vendors,” a senior AMC official said. They admit that ratings are currently skewed towards the higher end, with most vendors receiving five-star reviews. However, they argue that the real value lies in identifying broader patterns rather than focusing on individual scores.The database is already being used beyond food safety. AMC officials said the information is helping the civic body plan solid waste management measures, including the placement of dustbins in busy food zones. It is also being used for awareness campaigns aimed at improving hygiene practices among vendors.As part of the outreach effort, multipurpose health workers have created WhatsApp broadcast groups covering all 10,103 registered vendors. Through these groups, vendors receive regular messages on maintaining cleanliness, preventing contamination and understanding the risks posed by water-borne diseases. Officials said the programme is expected to expand further once dedicated food safety officers are appointed to strengthen monitoring and enforcement efforts across the city.
