Through the column of your renowned newspaper, I would want to share my opinions as a microbiology student about the state of food hygiene in Pakistan. Foodborne illnesses like diarrhoea, cholera, and dysentery are a result of long-term neglect of food safety and hygienic conditions in Pakistan. Food contamination can happen at any point in the food production, delivery, and consumption chain, leading to a variety of environmental contaminations such as water, soil, or air pollution as well as improper food processing and storage. Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Shigella are some of the most prevalent foodborne diseases. Due to cross-contamination and inadequate storage, food items including milk, vegetables, fruits, eggs, etc. Purchased from Pakistani local markets may be infected with these infections.

In Pakistan, several restaurants provide poor-quality food in addition to street food. Meals prepared are not only affected by ingredient contamination, but also by the environment in which the food is made, such as a dirty kitchen. In order to preserve hygiene, cooks’ personal hygiene is crucial. To prevent cross-contamination, chefs must wash their hands before they begin cooking and put on hairnets and gloves.

I want to call the Pakistani food authorities’ attention to these concerning food hygiene issues. To prevent foodborne illnesses, I advise putting into place efficient sanitation procedures, creating storage plans, and improving food item packaging.

The writer is the student of department of journalism 8 semester Institute of communication studies in Punjab University Lahore. She can be reached at [email protected]