Commercial meals are prepared daily, yet in many restaurants, tea shops, and lappabedoor cookshops, hygiene is neglected. Chiefs, cooks, and waiters often fail to observe basic standards, exposing customers to serious health risks.
Masks should be worn to prevent coughs, sneezes, sweat, or yawns from contaminating food.
Gloves are essential for servers, since hands touch dusty surfaces, the face, or even the restroom. Yet many waiters wipe their mouths, dig into their nostrils, or handle food without washing—clear signs of bad manners and dangerous practice.
A lady running a cookshop ignored hygiene until one day a customer exposed her. After eating palm butter, he dropped a dead roach into the bowl and shouted. Embarrassed, she pleaded, admitted her struggle with pests, and even paid him to keep quiet. This shows how neglect not only harms customers but disgraces businesses.
Many kitchens look clean outside but are filthy inside. Plates are washed in dirty water, reused multiple times without soap. Towels meant for tables are used on plates and hands. Spoons are shared without sterilization, spreading diseases among people with different health conditions.
The Ministries of Health and Commerce must enforce strict standards. Hygiene is not optional—it is the foundation of safe food service.
In essence, poor hygiene in commercial kitchens endangers lives, ruins reputations, and undermines public trust. Clean food is not just good manners—it is a national responsibility.
One day, I visited a restaurant and what I saw was shocking—it was like a rain of flies hovering over the kitchen. Curious and concerned, I asked the lady in charge why the place was in such a state. Her response was to grab a can of insecticide and spray the entire kitchen, even while pots of food were left uncovered. This careless act revealed a serious health risk: food exposed to chemicals and pests at the same time.
While many of us enjoy eating out for convenience or variety, such experiences remind us of the hidden dangers of street food. In restaurants and roadside kitchens, hygiene is often compromised, and customers rarely see what happens behind the scenes. Flies, poor sanitation, and unsafe practices can easily contaminate meals, leading to foodborne illnesses.
By contrast, meals prepared at home are usually handled with greater care. Families take time to wash ingredients, cover food properly, and maintain cleaner environments. Though home meals may feel routine, they are often safer and healthier than food purchased outside.
The lesson is clear: eating out may be tempting, but nothing compares to the safety and dignity of well-prepared home meals. Protecting our health begins with valuing hygiene over convenience.
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