The Hindu 29.07.2009

Roadside eateries pose health hazards

K.V. Prasad

— Photo: M. Periasamy.

Unsafe: Doctors and health officials point out that the food items served at roadside eateries cause health problems.

COIMBATORE: Poor quality of stored water, the use of non-permitted colouring agents and the overall lack of hygiene are some of the potential health hazards that roadside eateries pose to the people, according to doctors.

“I am getting a large number of patients complaining of food poisoning. This is seen especially in those who are frequenting the roadside eateries,” says Senior Consultant Paediatrician V. Radhakrishnan. He attributes this to poor hygiene at the eateries.

Food contamination may lead to dysentery, cholera and jaundice. A majority of the eateries use oil of poor quality and artificial colouring agents, the paediatrician says.

“Children have lesser resistance compared to adults. That is why they run into complications quickly after consuming some items at these eateries,” he says, indicating at the risk of children flocking to such eateries near parks that are the only entertainment centres in the city.

The doctor recalls the case of a boy brought to him with a complaint of urine discolouration. “His urine was red. I had not seen such a case in my 30 years’ experience. After enquiring about the food taken over the last few days, the doctor found that a candy sold on the roadside was the culprit. “It must have had a non-permitted colouring agent. That is why this particular problem was caused in the child.”

Director of Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research P. Guhan says both adults and children must keep off highly coloured food, whether in roadside eateries or big hotels.

Mostly, the chilli cauliflower and chilli mushroom items have very high content of artificial colouring agents. The salt content is also high as it is used as a preservative. Therefore, repeated consumption can cause cancer in the stomach and aesophagus in people who may be vulnerable to the disease.

“We cannot say that everyone will get cancer if they eat these items. But, it is also unwise for people to assume that they will not be affected. They must note that there is no test to find out who is vulnerable and who is not,” Dr. Guhan explains.

Dr. Radhakrishnan calls for concerted efforts to eliminate the health hazards posed by the stalls and quotes some officials as saying that sufficient food or health inspectors are not available to check the menace.

Assistant City Health Officer of the Coimbatore Corporation R. Sumathi says she and her team of food inspectors have raided the roadside stalls, especially at Tatabad and on Thadagam Road, many times and imposed fines on them.

Even as the Corporation is trying to regulate these stalls and ensure that food sold in any eatery of any type is hygienic, the health official advises people to stay away from unhygienic eateries.

Dr. Sumathi agrees that artificial colouring is bad, even if permitted colours are used. “Even permitted colours are made out of petroleum products. Therefore, these can cause cancer,” she warns. Another problem is that the roadside eateries, especially the ones on pushcarts, re-heat oil. This can increase cholesterol to dangerous levels. Another danger is from mixing of oils. These stalls mix rice bran oil with coconut oil to increase taste and minimise expense, she said.