Food, when consumed in variety and moderation, is paramount to good health
KARACHI: I do not want to name the restaurant since I feel as though their business may suffer tremendously as a consequence, but last week I went to a fast food place in the Clifton area and saw a little mouse in the serving area. When I screamed and pointed it out to a waiter, he shrugged and said that I should see the size of the rodents in the kitchen area. “What do you mean by that statement?” I asked. He replied, “Sometimes the mice in our kitchen look like cats.” I do not know how accurate this statement was, but needless to say, I cancelled my order. Even relating the story gives me goosebumps and makes me nauseous.
Food, when consumed in variety and moderation, is paramount to good health. Just as food is a source of nutrients for humans and other animals, however, it is also a source of nutrients for microorganisms. Therefore, when abused, mishandled or under-processed, food can cause foodborne illness or even death. It is a well-known fact that foodborne illness cases are grossly underreported. Interestingly, most of these cases occur as a result of the food handling and preparation practices of persons in their own kitchen. And of course, the presence of rodents is undoubtedly harmful to one’s health.
There must be proper food inspection to ensure that such incidents do not become commonplace.
Rimla Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 13th, 2017.
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