shawarma-turns-toxic-for-keralites

The Food Safety wing of the state, intensifying its attempts to curb laxity in providing hygienic food, has shut one-fourth shawarma shops in Kerala. 

 

As part of the monsoon inspections by the Food Safety Department, the squads inspected over 500 shawarma shops for a period of nearly two months. As a result, nearly 55 shawarma outlets have been shut and over 100 firms have received cautionary notices.

 

Why this crackdown on Shawarma outlets? 

 

It has been learnt that these places were selling shawarma without following the special food safety and hygiene guidelines issued by the department in preparing shawarma.

 

The Food Safety wing had last year issued the special guidelines to be followed by all food outlets in making shawarma, as general laxity in maintaining food safety guidelines had put this particular food item at particular risk for triggering frequent food poisoning episodes in many parts of the state.

 

Apart from hygiene specifications, the guidelines state in particular that the meat be cooked continuously at full heat — 15 minutes for chicken and 30 minutes for beef — without any interruption. 

 

Pieces of meat sliced from the cone must be submitted to a secondary cooking step to ensure that it is fully cooked. Secondary step can be in the form of grilling, baking in the oven.

 

Moreover, raw eggs have been asked to avoided for the preparation of mayonnaise sauce, which is served with the dish. The sauce often becomes the source of bacterial contamination when it is prepared and left out.

 

Instead, pasteurised eggs should be used for making mayonnaise or else branded.

 

Also mayonnaise once prepared cannot be stored at room temperature for more than two hours. And when stored for 2 days then it should be below 4 degrees Centigrade. 

 

Shawarma takeaway packs in these eateries did not bear the label noting the date and time of making the item and the warning that it is best consumed within an hour.

 

Origin of Shawarma

 

Popular street food in the Middle East, Shawarma, was originated in Turkey. It is often made with spit-roasted layers of meat that are sliced and served in a wrap. 

 

Shawarma is similar to Greek gyros (a greek dish which involves roasted meat), though the former is seasoned with more spices and the latter with more herbs.

 

Over the years, shawarma has become a go-to snack for various occasions. Be it as a snack during the drinking nights or one of those days you just don’t feel like cooking, the humble roll has become comfort food.

 

The insane addiction to Arabian dishes including Shawarma is tormenting the erstwhile eatery habits of Kerala.