<h5>Street food - yummy but unhealthy!</h5><p>Many people like to eat street food, like <i>pani puri</i>, shawarma, and gobi manchurian. But did you know most street food items are very unhealthy?</p><p>Recently, Karnataka’s food safety department (FSD) has taken action against many sellers of such street food.</p><p>This statewide crackdown is against food business operators (FBOs) who are using artificial food colouring and other cancer-causing ingredients in their products.</p><h5>The harmful substances.</h5><figure class="image"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/newsahoot.appspot.com/Shawarma_0f6d1d7ac1.jpg" alt="Shawarma.jpg"><figcaption>A shawarma stall. Photo by The Times Of India.</figcaption></figure><p>The FSD had received multiple complaints of people facing health issues, like vomiting, diarrhoea, etc., after consuming certain food items. After receiving the complaints, the department swung into action.</p><p>They collected many food samples and found harmful artificial food colouring, carcinogenic agents, and bacteria harmful to humans in the food items.</p><p>Artificial colouring agents, like tartrazine, sunset yellow, etc., can cause cancer or other diseases like diabetes, kidney failure, etc.</p><p>Some food colours are used to dye textiles and can harm the respiratory tract. Also, cancer-causing chemicals, like formalin, were found in <i>pani puri</i>.</p><p>Harmful bacteria were also found in shawarma samples that were formed due to the unhygienic preparation of shawarma.</p><h5>Karnataka’s crackdown begins!</h5><p>The department has taken action and banned the use of artificial colours in food items like gobi manchurian, cotton candy, and chicken kababs. Food must also be prepared hygienically, and cancer-causing substances must not be used.</p><p>The authorities have increased inspections of those selling such food items and are imposing strict punishments on those who do not follow the orders.</p><h5>How can we stay safe?</h5><p>We must also be vigilant about what we are consuming and can follow these steps:</p><ul><li>We must choose to eat only from food vendors who prepare food in a hygienic manner, such as using good materials, wearing gloves, cleaning hands before preparing the food, and using clean utensils.</li><li>We must also avoid shops that do not maintain cleanliness, as such an environment can cause bacteria to grow and contaminate the food, harming us in the end.</li><li>We must also avoid foods that look unnaturally bright, as they can contain harmful artificial colouring agents.</li></ul><p>If we follow these steps, we can still occasionally enjoy the delicious flavours of street food while protecting our health.</p>

The state’s food safety department has found many harmful substances in street foods.

Karnataka's Crackdown on Street Food

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