Arabian chicken dishes under lens in Kerala

KOZHIKODE: After complaints of unhygienic shawarma, tandoori and alfaham chicken sold at some of the food joints here, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India officials are closely monitoring shops selling these Arabian delicacies. They are awaiting results of samples taken from 35 eateries to take action. “It was few days’ back we fined Rs 1 lakh on a bakery for using old and tainted meat in Arabian dishes including shawarma,” said food safety assistant commissioner Sankaran Unni.

“The samples we collected the other day from this bakery were not fit for consumption. We have received complaints from the public that some eateries in the city are discreetly providing this." Despite having strict norms, food joints do not adhere to standards of safety and hygiene. “They prepare food and keep it in open areas, open to dust along the roadside. Though the sale of shawarma is not banned entirely, only those eateries which follow strict sanitation and food safety guidelines are allowed to sell it,” he said.