Junk food causes diseases in summer

Many of the vendors in the capital practice poor hygiene standards

ISLAMABAD: The sale of sub-standard street food items prepared in unhygienic conditions is among the major causes of diseases in Islamabad in summer. Many of the vendors in the capital practise poor hygiene standards when handling utensils used to serve edibles to customers. A large number of stalls and carts carrying Items such as cold drinks, ice cream, fruit juices and snacks spring up in the city during the season. These are often located at bus stops, roadsides, outside schools and hospitals. Dr Arif Majeed said the number of infectious diseases in the city increases by around 50% summer due to the sale of unhygienic-prepared food and drinks. He proposed that an immediate ban be imposed on the sale of unhygienic foodstuffs, especially in markets and in shopping centres. He said that vendors’ utensils and bottles can cause a range of  bacteria and viruses including typhoid, diarrhoea, throat infections and abdominal diseases plus more serious conditions such as hepatitis.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2017.