How safe are Iftar snacks sold at wayside stalls?

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Now that the holy month of Ramzan has begun, many places in the city are dotted with wayside stalls selling snacks for breaking the fast.

Though there’s a sharp fall in the number of stalls this time following the health department’s crackdown on hotels and wayside eateries, the city administration has no mechanism to ensure that the quality of food sold in these stalls is worthy of consumption.

Usually, a number of makeshift shops crop up in Vyttila, Vazhakkala, Chembumukku, Palarivattom, Karukappilly and West Kochi areas during Ramzan.

For those who break their fast with street food, Malabar delicacies like unnakkai, mutta pathiri, erachi pathiri and thari kanji sold in these outlets are favourite items.

However, this time, the number of temporary wayside stalls has fallen. Meanwhile, the corporation health standing committee chairman T.K. Ashraf said that the health squad would inspect the street food vendors selling Ramzan snacks to ensure their quality.

“The wayside shops will be raided on Monday. The health officials will inspect the quality of cooking oil, snacks and the hygiene of the shops,” he said.

Many youngsters including non-Muslims working in offices and commercial establishments in the city prefer to have snacks from these food joints.

“This time, following the widespread media reports on poor quality hotel food, I am more concerned about food safety and the hygiene of the shops,” said Niyas Abdul Rahman, a young IT professional.
At the same time, many major hotels and restaurants in the city have started special Iftar packages with a wide variety of Ramzan delicacies.