The millions of food vendors peddling tasty morsels from roadside stalls and rickshaws across India have long been an emblem of the country's boisterous, chaotic spirit.
But now, Indian officials have a stern message for these often-unregulated roadside chefs: Wash your hands after using the toilet. Don't sneeze into the food. And, above all, please don't pick your nose.
"A lot of street food guys are not very scrupulous," said Tejinder Singh, 48, who serves up spicy black lentils known as daal makhani from a stand in New Delhi. "We are not sons of gods. We have a lot to learn."
Singh was among about 500 vendors who took part in an October training seminar in New Delhi on the basics of food safety and hygiene, an attempt to curtail the infamous "Delhi belly" that has struck down many an adventurous snacker in India.
Launched by India's Food Safety and Standards Authority and the National Association of Street Vendors of India, the seminar offered a primer on safe drinking water and disposable gloves, along with a list of food-handling do's and don'ts.