More Hyderabadis are today opting to eat outside food. Crowd is seen outside, hotels, food carts, tiffin centres. The pani-puri stall alongside the footpath is the major attraction for youth. But do the food handlers maintain hygiene? Is the food prepared by pure water? Today people are disposed to idleness; they don’t want to cook food instead they mostly rely upon ready-made food. This is causing various health problems.
Associate Professor Osmania Medical College says if the cooks at the food centres do not wash their hands with soap, there is always a possibility that they carry germs in their hands and finger nails, eventually passing them on to the customers. Dr. Ramesh a Gastroenterologist told that the hands of the persons who prepare pani-puri roadside are not clean hence the people who eat unhygienic food are more susceptible to gastro-intestinal infections.
The unhygienic food is a good trigger for typhoid, jaundice, hepatitis A & E dysentery and diarrhea infections. These are communicable diseases hence pass on to others. Dr. Prithi suggests that home-made food is best for the health.
A nutrition expert told that the hands of cooks who prepare food should be clean and the utensils in which the food is kept should also be clean.
It is the responsibility of the government to keep a check on substandard foods sold outside as mostly the poor people eat such food which poses health hazards.
Siasat report