Fast and cheap

With more people today eating in hotels, restaurants or roadside eating stalls, health safety and hygiene has become a critical issue that needs to be addressed. Complaints of food poisoning or unhygienic conditions are commonly head and this should be taken up by the health authorities for the safety of the public. The watchword of today’s food and restaurant business is ‘fast, tasty and plenty’. It is accepted that any stall or restaurant wanting to thrive must serve food at the earliest, with taste and cheap. These demands also come with a cost on the health and well being. To serve food fast, the cooking is expected to be done in short time. This means oils are always under heat for immediate use. In most cases, these oils are again re-used a number of times as it drastically cuts cost and ensures bigger profits. Cooking food by reusing cooking oil can also increase free radicals in the body, which can cause inflammation – the root cause of most diseases including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. High inflammation in the body can also reduce immunity and make you prone to infections. According to studies, reheating of cooking oil leads to release of toxic substances and also increase free radicals in the body causing inflammation and various chronic diseases. Also, in order to cut cost, many fast food joints are use of adulterated cooking medium. This is like slow poisoning and therefore cannot be immediately detected unless health authorities undertake stringent checks. Merely insisting on license is not the answer but by conducting regular surprise checks. There is one-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1 lakh even in those cases in which food does not result in illness. A few years ago, the food standard authority in UP had established higher than permissible limits of the popular taste maker- monosodium glutamate (MSG) at roadside Chinese fast food centres including some popular noodle brands. According to health sources, the presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limit leads to some complications in the nervous system. In some people, it has shown up as Chinese restaurant syndrome. In this condition, people usually experience anything in between heart palpitation and numbness. Another threat to the health on those who frequent eateries, come from health and hygiene of workers and environment. Workers in hotels are over worked and underpaid and most are unfit to handle food items. Water borne diseases such as amoebic dysentery, worm infestations or other intestinal diseases are spread due to unhealthy hygienic conditions or contaminated food items. Presence of cockroaches, insects and even rats in kitchens and storerooms testify to the unhygienic conditions in a number of kitchens. Again, items such as beans, lentils and vegetables have high levels of insecticides and pesticides as they are laced with chemicals to make them look green or fresh. Some years back, in Hyderabad, authorities cracked down heavily against traders using dye and artificial ripening agents. According to reports, most green vegetables like peas, gourds and cucumbers are dipped in harmful chemicals such as copper sulphate which is crystalline blue in colour but gives the vegetables a fresh green look. People frequenting roadside eateries and food joints should be vigilant while authorities need to gear up and ensure they are not compelled to act only after something goes wrong.