FROM THE EDITOR    When you grab a burger, a samosa or a packet of fries from the nearby food court, you know you are probably not getting the healthiest meal. And if you might want to inspect those fries a little more closely at some fast food joints, the hygiene habits you encounter could be appalling. Every third person questioned, a study says, is really concerned about the cleanliness of the cooking staff & premises and the way food is handled.    But then, why are all these restaurants crowded? A paper “Consumer perception about fast food in India: An exploratory study” authored by Anita Goyal and N.P. Singh in 2007, indicates that the young Indian consumer has passion for visiting fast food outlets for fun and change of scene. Of course, the convenience of ready availability of food at any time and at any place is the main factor. Their survey shows that the consumers want the eateries to provide additional information on nutritional values and hygiene conditions inside kitchen which will help build trust in the food provided. Clean India Journal did its own investigation on the cleanliness and hygiene practices at some of the city food courts and found that there is a need for imposing governmental guidelines on these two aspects, followed by regular inspection.    Recently, CIJ met the deans from various Government Medical Institutions across Maharashtra. While the requirement of mechanised cleaning is very high in these hospitals, the deans admitted that their knowledge about machines and their usage were very minimal. This is one important area where the Indian Cleaning Industry could contribute.    Talking of hospitals, there was an interesting news item about a software engineer from Andhra Pradesh who has been ordered by the high court to sweep the premises of Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad for an hour every day for a month. His crime? Eve teasing! Editor Clean India Journal
Cover Story Fast Food Joints - the mechanics of food safety, hygiene and cleanliness
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