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by Prasad Abu Bakr

In the days gone by if children ever skipped lunch or eat poorly when they arrive at home after school hours they are blamed of eating Kada Choru by their mothers. I never bothered to find out what it meant but a recent up-roar about un-hygienic and foods not fit for human consumption being served at various outlets, specially in Colombo, brought forward the word that took a back seat on my mind since my childhood as the meaning for food that is un-clean and un-fit for human consumption... Kada-Choru it is.

Recently a series of shocking but true events were unfolded to viewers on `Headlines', a kind of early evening forecast of the day's major news telecast over The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation channel.

Amongst the headlines of that day attention was focused upon un-hygienic conditions under which fast food and other food facilities available in abundance in and around the city are operated. Quick take-away food facilities have sprung-up all over in such relative speed that it makes one think twice about the so-called `rising-cost of-living'. But taking into consideration some of the low priced packages that are available, customers probably find it much cheaper to eat out than cook at home which justifies the `take-away' concept of today.

However, after watching those headlines it is no longer a secret that most of the `throw-away' vegetables are collected by way side vendors who hang around the major market places of the city, after which they are cleaned [rotten parts are trimmed and done away with], and stacked in individual groups for people to buy at almost one third of the price.

The idea of the vendor is to sell it to people who cannot afford to buy vegetables at a higher price [which is also an un-commendable act] but the truth that has surfaced is most of these `throw aways' are being picked up by people for business purposes [so much for low priced take away packs]. The `Thosai Kade' known sometime back for the cheapest meal of them all [though they have slipped out of that bracket in recent times] have been cited as the biggest culprit alongside their other `savoury friends'.

In those days gone by we used to have the `Kadayappan Amma' doing her rounds in the mornings from house to house selling her stringhoppers, Laveriya or Pittu together with accompaniments such as Pol Sambol, Kirihodi [coconut milk gravy spiced with Saffron] and Lunumiris [hot chili ground together with onions and Maldive fish], till recent times the `Paangkaraya' selling his bread and other bakery products such as Tea-buns, Fish-buns and `Kimbula Banis' a long bread roll garnished with sugar which appear to look like a miniature crocodile made out of pastry, thus its name kimbula Banis.

Talking of fast-food one cannot overlook the experience of eating those hot hoppers while in Kataragama where the evenings are special. You can stand by the `hopper cart' parked beside the road and eat to your heart's content,which is served with a hot paste Umbalakada sambol. Places such as Anuradhapura, Kandy, Madhu and Sri Pada all have their individual attractions when it comes to eating out during the festival periods in those areas, the hygienic conditions under which these foods are served becomes the responsibility of sanitary and health authorities concerned.

Many authorities complain that they come under threat by out-let operators when they are caught under failing conditions but in recent times operations have been stiffened to meet necessary standards and health inspectors claim that they are being fair by the fast-food operators by giving them a reasonable period of time to up-grade their outlets. Action is taken only after taking into consideration the degree of improvements the vendors introduce to rectify in the said lacking areas.

Many operators of fast-food outlets complain that the authorities who are hounding them on hygiene and cleanliness do not even bother to take note that the outlets they operate which most of the time comes under the control of the municipality lack supply of the basic facilities, which they are entitled to as licence holders to the business.

Some of them claim that they have to bring even the drinking water for their customers all the way from home. Some of the space let out by the municipality for these purposes don't have pipe borne water or even electricity. People who are renting out the space have to look after their own means of supply. Unlike any other trade, food outlets need a constant flow of water for cleaning purposes. It is the absence of this necessities that hinders the ability of running an outlet with clean surroundings.

Hunger is a situation that needs prompt attention under any circumstance be it humans or animals. Selling food has become a colossal commercial success. Based on this notion what happens most of the time is people who realize this fact exploit the situation, breaking all the rules.

We must also place our attention on some of the methodically operated food parlours that have gained the confidence of their clients over the years and who keeps patronising those places over and over again. In some cases it is not hygiene alone. Quick service, variety of menus that keep changing on a daily basis and prompt service together with the courteous attitude goes a long way.

Cooking at home, especially for the evening becomes very impractical if both spouses are employed, with kids attending school and no helping hands around the house [unless you are lucky to have your mother around, who will whole heartedly prepare dinner for the family]. Eating out or quick take-aways become the only solution for families that are on the move during the day.

Even though a simple curry made at home to be eaten with bread or a little rice can make a world of difference you don't have to worry much about the cleanliness part.

Food caterers and parlours have had their share of shortcomings during their operations and dealings with the public.

At a get-together organised by a leading advertising firm a `mildly' cooked cockroach was found in one of the parcels of `Mongolian fried rice' ordered for the evening from a leading food out-let in the residential circle of the city. A `nicely-corroded but not-properly-cooked' etal nail was found daintily wrapped in a short-eat sold at a snack bar operated beside a leading girls school in Colombo and a partly done Grasshopper served along with a well done portion of grilled chicken at a food outlet operating on the Galle Face Green are some of the not-so-palatable stories that have been going around circles for some time.

It is a welcome thought that authorities concerned are doing their uttermost, besides keeping a clean slate also a clean plate.

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