Sale of sub-standard fried edibles is on full swing on roadside stalls without proper check and balance from the concerned authorities.
A large number of stalls could be seen in different localities along the roads selling traditional fried food such as samosas, pakoras, french fries, jalebi, phaniyaan, boondi, cham cham, fried bread, fried eggs, fried spinach, halwa puri, kebab and minced golas.
The stallholders fry these items in sub-standard oil with flies hovering all over the displayed items with lack of hygiene causing abdominal diseases among the citizens.
Ali Musa, a resident of Sector G-6 Aabpara said that many shopkeepers mix fresh oil with used oil which is extremely dangerous for health. It was discovered during visits to various places that these items were being prepared in highly filthy and unhygienic conditions.
Dr Sharif Astori at Federal Government Services Hospital said that during frying and cooking, degradation of oil produces harmful compounds. “Chemicals in oil become harmful if reheated multiple times making it carcinogenic (cancer causing). Most of the people in this business do not adopt any measures to maintain the quality of oil as well as to increase the useful life of frying oils,” he said.
When an official of Food Quality Control was contacted he said that a crackdown has been launched against the vendors for selling unhygienic items in the holy month of Ramadan.
The consumers have demanded the concerned authorities to take steps against
