CHENNAI: Think twice, or even thrice, before picking up that tempting roadside snack. Recent reports of young people dying in Uttar Pradesh, initially blamed on junk food consumption, have once again brought India's deeper food safety crisis into focus as health experts say the real danger lies not merely in fast food but in unhygienic handling, unsafe storage and poor temperature control, risks that are particularly acute in a tropical State like Tamil Nadu.
The deaths reported from Uttar Pradesh, though not a big number, point to a larger pattern across the country. Medical professionals emphasise that fast food rarely causes sudden death on its own. Instead, acute infections, food-borne toxins and parasitic diseases, often linked to contaminated raw vegetables, salads and improperly stored cooked food, are the more immediate threats.
People tend to blame junk food, but infections caused by unsafe food practices are far more dangerous in the short term. Excess oil, salt and sugar damage health over the years. Bacteria, parasites and toxins can kill within days
J Aishwarya, nutritionist
Tamil Nadu's public health machinery has long flagged cysticercosis, a parasitic disease that can affect the brain and eyes, as a serious but under-recognised threat. Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Dr A Somasundaram said the disease is often detected only at an advanced stage.
"Neurocysticercosis can cause seizures, brain tumours and vision loss. By the time symptoms become clear, treatment options are limited," he told DT Next.
Health officials stress that the disease is not confined to non-vegetarian food alone. "It can spread through vegetables, fruits and salads sold in the open if the vendor's hygiene is poor. One unwashed hand after using the toilet is enough to contaminate food," Dr Somasundaram warned.
Public health experts point to everyday practices in Tamil Nadu, food cooked early in the morning, kept at room temperature for hours, and served repeatedly, as a recipe for disaster.
Most roadside eateries do not maintain hot food above 60°C or cold food below 5°C. In our climate, bacteria multiply rapidly. The two-hour rule is not paranoia. It is survival hygiene
Dr Rajesh Parikh, a gynaecologist and public health advocate
A senior official from the Food Safety department said enforcement has been stepped up. "All pushcart vendors, irrespective of what they sell, from pani puri and cut fruits to fried meat and fish, must have a valid food safety licence. This follows repeated complaints from beaches, parks and crowded public spaces, " the official said, adding that surprise inspections are being intensified.
Nutritionist Aishwarya caution consumers against a false sense of security. "Reheating food does not make it safe. Many toxins produced by bacteria are heat-stable. If food has stayed too long at room temperature, discard it, " she told this correspondent.
The message from health authorities is unambiguous: food poisoning and parasitic infections are predictable and preventable. "This is not about taste or affordability. It is about hygiene, temperature and awareness, " Dr Parikh added.
THE THREAT: Fast food rarely causes sudden death on its own. Instead, acute infections, food-borne toxins and parasitic diseases, often linked to contaminated raw vegetables, salads and improperly stored cooked food, are the more immediate threats
WORDS OF CAUTION: Contaminated non-vegetarian food is not the only source that can lead to neurocysticercosis, a parasitic disease that can cause seizures, brain tumours and vision loss. It can spread through vegetables, fruits and salads sold in the open if the vendor's hygiene is poor, says Dr A Somasundaram, Director of Public Health & Preventive Medicine