Choose hygiene over taste: Health experts urge people

Srinagar, Jul 14: Health experts on Tuesday cautioned the public against consuming unhygienically prepared street food, saying the summer season significantly increases the risk of food poisoning and several water- and food-borne diseases.
According to a public health advisory issued by Dr. S. Muhammad Salim Khan, Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, high temperatures provide ideal conditions for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to multiply rapidly in improperly stored or exposed food, increasing the likelihood of infections.
The advisory states that while street food remains popular because of its taste and affordability, food prepared or sold under unhygienic conditions can pose serious health hazards, particularly during the summer months.
It highlights that poor personal hygiene among food vendors is one of the major causes of contamination. Vendors wearing unclean clothes, not using head covers or aprons, maintaining long and dirty nails, handling money and food simultaneously, or coughing and sneezing near food can easily contaminate food with disease-causing germs.
The advisory further notes that food exposed to dust, flies and prolonged heat, prepared using contaminated water, or sold after being kept for long periods is more likely to harbour harmful bacteria. The use of artificial colours and unsafe food additives also poses additional health risks.
Besides food handling practices, the surrounding environment of food stalls also plays a crucial role in food safety. Stalls located near open drains, garbage dumps or dusty roads, with poor waste disposal systems and the presence of flies, mosquitoes and stray animals, create favourable conditions for contamination, it states.
The advisory also warns consumers against unsafe eating habits such as consuming food without washing hands, using unclean utensils or sharing food and drinks, as these practices can facilitate the spread of infections.
Health experts have cautioned that consumption of contaminated food can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, food poisoning, stomach infections, dehydration, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera, with children, elderly persons and those with weak immunity being particularly vulnerable.
Dr. Khan advised people to wash their hands thoroughly with soap before meals, choose clean and hygienic food outlets, consume freshly prepared and hot food, drink boiled or safe bottled water, and dispose of waste properly instead of littering.
He stressed that maintaining good food hygiene is the most effective way to prevent food-borne illnesses, urging people not to compromise their health for taste or convenience.
“Your health is precious. Safe food today means a healthier tomorrow,” the advisory reads, appealing to the public to remain vigilant while purchasing food from roadside vendors, especially during the ongoing summer season. (KNO)