In a metro metropolis like Chennai, meals is out there nearly around the clock. Whether eating out or ordering on-line, folks’s consumption sample has always advanced through the years. From an occasional indulgence to being a necessity, consuming out has reworked like by no means earlier than. While a number of causes could also be cited for the altering meals habits, the fundamental query stays: how protected is the meals in your plate?

Tamil Nadu’s streets might have turned house to quite a few eating places through the years. But the work is reduce out for the Department of Food Safety. With practically six lakh licensed and registered meals companies, meals security officers have the large process of making certain that the meals that’s served is protected. Health officers have made meals security a precedence after current incidents sounded the alarm. The incident in Namakkal district — through which a 14-year-old lady died after consuming hen shawarma in a restaurant and 43 individuals, together with her relations and medical faculty college students, fell in poor health — set off checks on eating places everywhere in the State. “We have prioritised food safety, with the focus on food that can get spoiled easily. Our food safety teams have been taking up regular inspections at hotels, and food items, such as coconut chutney, buttermilk and curd, and meat products are being brought on the radar. There is continuous monitoring,” says Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi.

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), dairy merchandise, meat and meat merchandise, together with poultry, fish and fish merchandise, egg and egg merchandise, ready meals and Indian sweets are high-risk classes. “Special drives are going on, and we take surveillance samples [of raw materials and prepared food for monitoring purpose]. The number of food business operators is huge and increasing in the State. From 5.7 lakh registrations/licences in March 2023, the number has increased to six lakh now. We provide Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) for food handlers and Hygiene Ratings for food businesses. The number of training sessions has increased 10-fold from last year,” in accordance with a senior official.

He provides that month-to-month targets, at 25, are set for each meals security officer to gather surveillance samples. “We have nearly 250 field officers, and will be adding 119 more to the strength.”

Where can errors happen?

Experts say meals can flip unsafe at any level earlier than it lands on the plate. It may very well be wherever in the complete course of, from the time of preparation to consumption. The temperature of cooking, storage situation, uncooked supplies, together with water and accompaniments served, and hygiene — all these are key elements, says Meenakshi Bajaj, dietician, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai.

One of the most typical violations that meals security groups come throughout is failure to keep up kitchen hygiene, officers say. P. Satheesh Kumar, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Chennai, has come throughout many security considerations over improper storage of meat. “Freezers are not up to the mark. There have been instances of stale meat being stored,” he says. Cleanliness of kitchens is one other space of concern. “The kitchens are not cleaned, and the utensil-washing areas are left dirty. Pest-control measures are also lacking,” he factors out.

Some findings have been surprising. “Rotten fruits from the Koyambedu market in Chennai are purchased at cheap rates for preparing juices. We were shocked to see such rotten fruits being used in a juice shop. In another hotel, we saw stale meat and fish being used,” he recollects.

Food security is just not easy, and there are a lot of elements at play. As A. Ramakrishnan, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Tiruvannamalai, explains, “There are permitted and non-permitted synthetic colours, flavours and preservatives. Using anything permitted in excess and non-permitted could turn problematic. Next is storage. Dry food and wet food require different levels of temperature. When temperature is not properly maintained for raw food, it could turn problematic. Again, storing prepared food and raw materials together can cause cross-contamination.”

One of the most typical points is using colouring brokers, in dishes reminiscent of chilli gobi/hen, that aren’t permitted by the FSSAI, he provides. “Another important thing is food-grade utensils. If utensils are rusty, it can render the food unsafe. Packaging is equally important as food-grade materials should be used. Packing ‘bonda’ or ‘bajji’ in newspapers is unsafe,” he observes. The well being of meals handlers is essential. “The health of the person who cooks food should be supervised. He/she should wear masks and gloves, do hand-washing frequently, and wash the hands after using toilets. If unwell, he/she should not be allowed to cook,” he says.

What meals are the primary considerations? Ms. Meenakshi has the reply. “Among my concerns are cut fruits and vegetable salads. They need to be stored at the right temperature. Sprouts come the second. These are now available in packets and the risk arises when they are consumed raw as we do not know whether safe and hygienic water was used. Then come fruit juices and shakes when milk is added to them. If milk is not stored at the right temperature, there is a risk of its getting spoiled and contaminated.”

Cabbage, she factors out, will get spoiled very quick, and at a number of eateries, cabbage is added to fried rice, noodles and spring rolls. Cabbage-laden dishes needs to be consumed on the earliest. Likewise, any meals, together with chutneys and kormas, ready with coconut can flip dangerous.

“Uncooked seafood is another area of concern because if not stored at the right temperature, it comes with the risk of contamination. Meat preserved for a long time is unsafe. When food, mostly meat, turns stale, it is covered with flavours and masala to mask the staleness. Consumers will not be able to find out,” she says. Using unapproved colors in dishes reminiscent of gobi manchurian or hen manchurian and reusing oil are additionally worrying. Egg and vegetable puffs are unsafe if they’re saved improperly. Eggs, if stale, could cause typhoid, Ms. Meenakshi says.

Shawarma has develop into a meals of concern of late due to incidents of meals poisoning. Ms. Meenakshi explains the vital factors: “Cooking shawarma is a skill. Apart from the skill to prepare, the cook should know the technique and science behind it. Shawarma, if stale, can cause non-typhoidal salmonellosis. The raw egg used in mayonnaise, its accompaniment, if spoiled, comes with the risk of causing typhoid.”

Several parts should be thought-about, beginning with buy of meat, transport, storage, preparation, time of consumption for the reason that time of preparation, and storing leftovers. “It follows a vertical cooking style. It is cooked in melting fat on a rotating skewer. A high pressure burner is used and this should heat the entire length of the skewer. Now, if there is not enough heat, the meat can be undercooked or not cooked at all, particularly on the top of the skewer,” she explains. There are a number of vital management factors: supply of meat, high quality of meat, dealing with it whereas being sliced and marinated, and temperature at which the meat (cooked in addition to raw) is saved. “The manpower should be trained, and I would suggest that the Food Safety Department come up with separate certification for outlets preparing shawarma,” she says.

Health troubles

The fast-changing meals habits do have a widespread impression on well being. G. Ramkumar, a medical gastroenterologist, says that with the meals security requirements as they’re now, there’s a regular enhance within the variety of food-borne ailments. “The estimated number of food-borne diseases would double by the end of this decade, and the current estimated food-borne diseases are just a tip of the iceberg. Food-borne diseases are mostly self-limiting (with short-term mild symptoms). So, most of the patients do not seek medical care, making the incidence of food-borne diseases under-reported.”

A. Chezhian, senior assistant professor, Institute of Gastroenterology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College, throws gentle on gastroenteritis. “Eating undercooked or improperly stored food or drinking infected water causes gastroenteritis. Symptoms can manifest within six hours of exposure and may last up to 48 hours. The symptoms are usually fever, vomiting, loose stools and stomach pain,” he says. He asks the folks to watch out whereas consuming out and make it possible for hygiene measures are in place at eateries. Late evening and premature consuming, skipping a meal, and extreme snacking needs to be prevented as they may trigger digestive points.

Janani Sankar, director, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, explains what number of youngsters are affected by extreme an infection after consuming contaminated meals at eateries. “Over the years, eating out has become the norm. With food delivery apps, people eat restaurant food more than once a week. Contamination could occur anywhere… , whether raw or cooked food, water, oil, hygiene cooking conditions and food handlers. We mainly see cases of typhoid fever due to contaminated food or water. When we take the history of older children, we have come across instances of their eating ‘pani puri’ at roadside shops, including those located outside schools. The cleanliness of the pot and the water used, as well as food handling, must be considered,” she says.

Dr. Janani says infections could be attributable to micro organism in addition to viruses. Children may have the signs of vomiting, belly ache, and free stools. When the big gut is concerned, there may very well be blood or mucus within the stools and cramp ache within the stomach. Infective diarrhoea must be handled with antibiotics.

T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, brings in one other angle. “From the public health perspective, I have two views on safe food. One, of course, is unsafe food causing communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea and cholera. Secondly, food has a big role in non-communicable diseases as well.”

“In public health, we have the common source epidemic in which the issue of contamination arises from places such as a single or common kitchen. Again, contamination can happen with raw materials, improper cooking, and through food handlers. This leads to outbreaks of viral enteritis and diarrhoea,” he stated.

What shoppers can do?

“People may not be aware of how loaded a food is — with salt, trans-fat, or energy density. Consumption of energy-dense food can lead to obesity. This is why the nutritive value put out on the labels of food products must be in a language that people can easily understand. Putting out only numbers may not help people understand their dietary allowance. For instance, if a person eats a packet of chips, he/she should know how much of that day’s salt or trans-fat requirements have been taken care of,” he says.

It is necessary for shoppers to decide on the suitable locations. “Check for hygiene rating and FoSTaC. You have a responsibility, especially when children are involved. Mindful eating is important,” Ms. Meenakshi provides.