Mid-Day Opinion: Hygienically cooked food is a basic expectation

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Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske has demanded action against a catering contractor at Thane railway station, claiming poor hygiene and food safety violations.

A report said that in a memorandum to the divisional railway manager of Central Railway, he said that several passengers had lodged complaints regarding the quality of food served at the canteen, according to a release issued by his office.

It also said that an investigation found that the commuters' complaints were credible, with the kitchen and canteen in an extremely unhygienic condition, with ‘expired' cold drinks and food items on sale, and ‘rotten, pest-infested' vegetables used for cooking. The staff were using ‘burnt, over-recycled' oil to prepare food.

Railways authorities must look into this immediately rather than wait, as people are consuming food and drink from this outlet every single day. The ‘expired' products can be removed immediately, as a simple reading of the label will show that these should not be on sale, raid or no raid. Those in charge can begin there.

In fact, Railways can begin inspections across, besides canteens and kitchens ensure hygiene in long-distance trains. Inspect the pantries and canteens within. Locally, inspect all canteens, kitchens and even stalls where food/drink is being sold. This includes open snacks on shelves, packaged products and drinks, too.

Today, thanks to the FDA raids across Mumbai, several restaurants have seen their licenses suspended over different food safety violations.

In the current climate, let us see a crackdown on public places like these too, so that rule adherence and cleanliness become the norm.