The report highlights that fast food consist of extremely high volume of E.coli bacteria which can cause severe infections.
If you were already battling a strong urge to refrain yourself from Maggi after the fresh controversy of excess level of lead and MSG found in it, yet another irresistible food category in India is under scanner.The spicy water filled 'golgappas' (also called as Pani puri and Puchkas) or 'steaming momos' and all other street food that you relish is highly contaminated with faeces.
A latest study carried out by Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Pusa, shows that street food items in several west and central Delhi localities contain extremely high amount of E. coli bacteria which can cause severe infections.
Dr Arpita Sharma of the Institute of Hotel Management Catering and Nutrition had conducted a survey of commonly consumed street food on 100 individuals for a microbial analysis, an news magazine reported.
According to the report, the unclean water in which the food is cooked is the primary reason for contamination along with unhygienic conditions in which the food is cooked and served.
The report stated the prominent reasons for contamination depends on the handling practises as well as weather conditions. During summers and rainy season, bacteria are more conducive for growth.
For the study, the locations chosen for the analysis were mainly the areas which come under West and Central Delhi.The sample food products collected for the microbial analysis consist of samosa, golgappa, burger and momos and were taken from popular shops twice where sales were maximum, at one month interval.
The samples which were infected with bacteria, were drawn from both well-off localities like Connaught Place and famous markets like Rajouri Garden main market, Rajendra Place and Subash Nagar. The amount of bacteria or the normal Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform bacteria in such foods is 50 or less as per the Central Pollution Control Board. However, the MPN of the samples was over 2,400.
These bacterial pathogens found commonly in our street eateries are bacillus cereus, clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus and salmonella species. Bacillus cereus cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Clostridium perfringens causes abdominal cramps along with diarrhoea. Staphylococcus aureus may lead to appetite loss and fever, while salmonella species which leads to typhoid, food poisoning, and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has written to Delhi's food safety commissioner to check the quality of street food eateries. The Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006 keeps a check on their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import for safe human consumption. Any person found manufacturing or processing any food item in unhealthy or unhygienic conditions is liable to a penalty of up to Rs.1 lakh. Harmful food that may lead to death of any consumer may get the seller imprisoned.
Dr Manoj Singh, professor at department of pathology at AIIMS, said that E. coli can lead to typhoid and cholera. He suggested street food handlers be trained for maintaining hygiene conditions while handling food products.
BP Mishra, administrative officer with the department of food safety, Delhi government, assured that appropriate verification and actions will be taken. He also said that the government had made it mandatory for all of street food vendors to register with the government, along with training programmes for them keeping the safe and clean drinking water aspect in mind.
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