KOCHI: If you haven't noticed, the tomato soupserved in city restaurants is no longer creamy red in colour and the schezwan fried rice looks like ordinary vegetable fried rice. Increasing number of hotels and bakeries in the city are abstaining from using food colour and monosodium glutamate (known by its brand name Ajinomoto) in their dishes.
After recent raids conducted by food safetyofficials, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has issued instructions to their member hotels and bakeries to refrain from using food colours in dishes.
"Though hoteliers are permitted to use food grade colours and monosodium glutamate in some specific dishes, the association has instructed them to completely refrain from using these. It has been scientifically proven that these products contain harmful substances. The hotel owners can be fined for excess or unauthorized presence of food colours and monosodium glutamate. We no longer want to take the risk," said KHRA Ernakulam district president Shiju M P.
The association has also given directions to maintain hygiene in thekitchen, procure raw material from registered traders and keep a list of these products, practice regulations set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) while deep freezing boiled chicken and meat, limit storage of frozen chicken and meat to a maximum of two days, appoint staff to constantly monitor the functioning of freezers, provide facilities for staff to maintain personal hygiene, and not to provide entry from kitchen to toilet.
"In fact, from last year we have been trying a phase by phase implementation of these directives. As food safety has become a major concern, the association does not want to prolong the process. Moreover, KHRA is also planning to bring in a separate agency to monitor the implementation of these directives in member hotels. Special squads functioning under these agencies will inspect the hotels and issue instructions to rectify lapses," added Shiju. There are over one lakh members, including hotels, restaurants and bakeries, under the organization. In Ernakulam, KHRA has about 50,000 members.
Meanwhile, restaurants in the city have already started following the association's directions. "There is a general feeling that hotels are not serving quality food. We want to give them good food and maintain the goodwill. The hotel owners cannot afford to lose business," said Senthil Nathan, supervisor at a city hotel.
Some restaurants say that a few of their customers are surprised at the sudden change in the taste, texture and colour of the food served. "Those who are health conscious appreciate our move while others express disappointment. As we are into food business, we have to abide by rules," saidHashim Ansari of a sandwich outlet.
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