The whole world is moving fast, the climax has reached in
terms of urbanization, global economy is quivering, inflation rocketing sky
high, and as citizens of a third world developing country can we stand still
and relax? Absolutely not, people are rushing towards financial sustainability,
high ambitions and hectic way of life in order to achieve glory.
For many of us this seems to be the normal daily routine and
obviously at times within this tight schedule, one might get the call from the
tummy…it’s time for a quick fix, then happen to see those bright appealing restaurants
not too far in the distance. We stop, maybe pull up to the drive through, and
place our order. This is the miserable truth about fast food in Colombo. The market
is jam-packed with ravenous consumers on extremely tight schedules with “instant
gratification” mindsets.
The rich traditions we had in the past where the home cooked
food became the crown which brought the whole family to the same dining table
seems to be long departed. It’s all about stepping into a fast food restaurant and
satisfying yourself with the yummiest which you can grab hold for the lowest
amount of rupees. Need not to say this seems to be very much spot on when it
comes to the perspective of a medical student. Some say that they know about
the harmful consequences, yes true, for some extent. But come on, at the end of
the day it’s all about food what we are talking about.
With this sort of a mindset it was yet another field visit for
us during the second week of our clerkship appointment. After an out of the
ordinary exhilarating address by the PHI which in turn woke many of us from the
overnight fall in the dream land it was time for us to stopover at a so-called “fast
food center” which sounded pretty much customary for us. As we stepped inside
we were refreshed by the cool breeze which came directly from the Air-con. No wonder
that’s the first thing you would expect. The furniture appeared to be quite
well maintained, spotless and well arranged; the display of food was almost
mouthwatering. Everything seemed to be all perfect until the point we stepped
into the hidden side which a normal customer will not even get a glimpse of an
idea.
Hmmmm…the smell was something unusual, couldn’t appreciate
whether it was due to a concentrated mixture of all bakery products or due to something
else. Some of the tables which were used to mix flour did not meet up with the
standard criteria. There were gaps in which substances were trapped providing a
fertile soil for the growth of different micro-organisms. There was couple of
damages on the floor area which was pointed out by the PHI. The storage area
was adequate in size but it had no ceiling. The side walls were partially
covered with iron sheets in some areas. The necessary ventilation and the
standard distance of 6 inches from the walls to the stored goods were taken
into consideration in most places although some goods contained little amount
of moisture. Apart from these drawbacks everything else was almost tidy and
clean and met the necessary requirements. The food preparation and the cooking area
was also satisfactory therefore it received an A grade according to the grading
system.
In order to maintain such high standards pertaining to food
safety the role played out by the PHI’s are quite remarkable. They go into the extreme
corners in their allocated areas to ensure that all standards of food hygiene are
properly maintained. They visit each and every fast food center, restaurant, bakery,
tea shop, etc and make sure whether the standards are followed by each owner.
As fortunately this restaurant met most of the necessary
standards it did not create that sort of a colossal impact on the impression we
had towards fast food. But it will always be an eye opener for us to think
twice before we consume something out of such a place.
Sachith Perera
23/08/2012
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