‘Deadly’ aftertaste

KOCHI: The ‘second wave’ of food poisoning incidents in recent times has yet again raised concerns over the quality of the food being served by rapidly mushrooming eateries in the state. The question being debated widely now is the Malayali’s obsession with Arabian cuisine as, in most cases, the villain has been dishes such as shawarma and kuzhimandhi.

 Some health experts point out that the side dishes served along with Arabian dishes, like raw salad and mayonnaise, could be the main culprits. Notably, after the pandemic outbreak, Kerala has witnessed a steady increase in the number of consumers depending on online food delivery platforms.  

“Food poisoning has always been there, irrespective of whether it is Arabian or non-Arabian food. But there is a risk factor surrounding Arabian cuisine, as the dishes are mostly grilled and may not cook properly, leading to the presence of toxins,”  says Indian Medical Association’s state chapter president, Dr N Sulphi. 

“The hygiene of staff is also very important. Salad and mayonnaise could be dangerous, as they are served raw.”  Sulphi adds that the food safety department is understaffed and Kerala needs a long-term strategy to curb food poisoning casualties. “The government needs to recruit more staff to strengthen the department. Otherwise, health volunteers should be recruited for regular monitoring of eateries,” he says. 

Food safety expert G Gopakumar, who was a research officer at the Commissionerate of Food Safety Department, says there is no point in blaming a particular cuisine or a non-vegetarian dish when food safety enforcement in itself is ineffective. 

“The enforcement officers have infrared thermometers to check during inspection whether the meat and poultry are stored in safe temperatures in deep freezers. This is not happening and even if we cook such badly-stored meat, the toxins will remain causing food poisoning,” says Gopakumar. 

“Most of the food poisoning incidents happened from parcelled food which was bought online or from a hotel. The consumer may not eat the food immediately and all this aggravates the chances of food poisoning.” 

Many of these cases don’t stand in the higher court because of lack of scientific evidence, Gopakumar notes. “They should videograph the inspection process so that the evidence is conclusive. The food ordered via online apps should be consumed immediately,” he says. 

 Another food safety official pins the blame on mayonnaisemade from raw eggs. “The hotel industry should provide only safe, pasteurised mayonnaise,” he adds.  

Health experts flag the rising dependance on junk food also. “I will not say Arabian food is unsafe; it’s all about the scientific handling of food. The best way to keep ourselves safe is by avoiding cold food like salad,” says nutritionist Uma Kalyani.

“Also, make sure we order or eat from trusted eateries, which have good hygiene practices. People with compromised immune systems and other vulnerable categories like the elderly and children should avoid consuming risky food. And food bought from outside should be consumed hot in order to avoid food poisoning.”

App to locate ‘clean’ spots
Following the shocking incidents of food poisoning across Kerala, at least 30 eateries in Ernakulam were shut down and over 100 were issued rectification notices over the past week. “Majority of the restaurants failed to comply with the hygiene standard issued by the food safety department, and several of them were functioning without a license,” says Ernakulam Assistant Food Safety Commissioner John Vijaykumar. “Stale food was found at a few restaurants, and they were shut immediately.

With the rise in food poisoning cases, the public needs to be aware of the food they consume from restaurants.” John adds that the Food Safety Department will soon launch a mobile app that would help people find hotels, eateries, bakeries, and even meat shops that “follow the prescribed standards of hygiene” in their vicinity.

KOCHI: The ‘second wave’ of food poisoning incidents in recent times has yet again raised concerns over the quality of the food being served by rapidly mushrooming eateries in the state. The question being debated widely now is the Malayali’s obsession with Arabian cuisine as, in most cases, the villain has been dishes such as shawarma and kuzhimandhi.  Some health experts point out that the side dishes served along with Arabian dishes, like raw salad and mayonnaise, could be the main culprits. Notably, after the pandemic outbreak, Kerala has witnessed a steady increase in the number of consumers depending on online food delivery platforms.   “Food poisoning has always been there, irrespective of whether it is Arabian or non-Arabian food. But there is a risk factor surrounding Arabian cuisine, as the dishes are mostly grilled and may not cook properly, leading to the presence of toxins,”  says Indian Medical Association’s state chapter president, Dr N Sulphi.  “The hygiene of staff is also very important. Salad and mayonnaise could be dangerous, as they are served raw.”  Sulphi adds that the food safety department is understaffed and Kerala needs a long-term strategy to curb food poisoning casualties. “The government needs to recruit more staff to strengthen the department. Otherwise, health volunteers should be recruited for regular monitoring of eateries,” he says.  Food safety expert G Gopakumar, who was a research officer at the Commissionerate of Food Safety Department, says there is no point in blaming a particular cuisine or a non-vegetarian dish when food safety enforcement in itself is ineffective.  “The enforcement officers have infrared thermometers to check during inspection whether the meat and poultry are stored in safe temperatures in deep freezers. This is not happening and even if we cook such badly-stored meat, the toxins will remain causing food poisoning,” says Gopakumar.  “Most of the food poisoning incidents happened from parcelled food which was bought online or from a hotel. The consumer may not eat the food immediately and all this aggravates the chances of food poisoning.”  Many of these cases don’t stand in the higher court because of lack of scientific evidence, Gopakumar notes. “They should videograph the inspection process so that the evidence is conclusive. The food ordered via online apps should be consumed immediately,” he says.   Another food safety official pins the blame on mayonnaisemade from raw eggs. “The hotel industry should provide only safe, pasteurised mayonnaise,” he adds.   Health experts flag the rising dependance on junk food also. “I will not say Arabian food is unsafe; it’s all about the scientific handling of food. The best way to keep ourselves safe is by avoiding cold food like salad,” says nutritionist Uma Kalyani. “Also, make sure we order or eat from trusted eateries, which have good hygiene practices. People with compromised immune systems and other vulnerable categories like the elderly and children should avoid consuming risky food. And food bought from outside should be consumed hot in order to avoid food poisoning.” App to locate ‘clean’ spots Following the shocking incidents of food poisoning across Kerala, at least 30 eateries in Ernakulam were shut down and over 100 were issued rectification notices over the past week. “Majority of the restaurants failed to comply with the hygiene standard issued by the food safety department, and several of them were functioning without a license,” says Ernakulam Assistant Food Safety Commissioner John Vijaykumar. “Stale food was found at a few restaurants, and they were shut immediately. With the rise in food poisoning cases, the public needs to be aware of the food they consume from restaurants.” John adds that the Food Safety Department will soon launch a mobile app that would help people find hotels, eateries, bakeries, and even meat shops that “follow the prescribed standards of hygiene” in their vicinity.