The popularity of traditional sweets is extremely high. Most of the demands are related to some particular festival or season. For example, rewdi, a common Indian sweet made from sesame seeds and sugar syrup, is very popular in the northern parts of the country. Every local store has packets of these candies to meet the demands of customers.
However, the conditions under which such sweets are prepared have always been a matter of controversy. Recently, a video was uploaded on the Instagram social network, in which a user demonstrated how to make a sweet from scratch. However, the lack of hygiene caught the attention of netizens.
“So many different smells: dirt, feet, nails, sweat, wall paint, cement. It’s delicious,” writes one user. In the video, we see how sugar syrup is poured on the ground and cooked on unclean rods.
“Making food on the floor and on the wall,” writes another.
“I’m more concerned about the broken wall and the iron stick/hook on it,” wrote a third user.
There are hidden risks associated with such impure preparation
Food prepared in unsanitary conditions is very dangerous to health as it may contain harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemicals that can cause foodborne illness. Food diseases range from mild, like some gastrointestinal problems, to serious, like food poisoning. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever. In extreme cases, foodborne illness can lead to hospitalization or death.
Vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of severe complications.
Moreover, unsanitary cooking can serve as a means of transmitting diseases such as hepatitis A, typhoid or cholera. Cross-contamination, poor handling of raw and cooked food, contaminated water and dishes – this is a risk. These habits introduce pathogens that endanger not only individual health but also public safety, especially during outbreaks.
Prolonged exposure to unhygienic food also leads to chronic health problems. For example, food contaminated with chemical residues or toxins can impair liver and kidney function over time. Therefore, proper standards of food preparation hygiene must be maintained to maintain health and prevent potentially life-threatening illnesses.
