Over the last few years, the two most popular street food varieties that have flooded Hyderabad eateries are momos and shawarma. Even at midnight, food delivery apps offer plenty of these options. These dishes are also being sold by random vendors without proper branding or licenses.
A case linked to one such vendor has shaken the administration as a woman died after consuming momos recently in Hyderabad. Further inquiries revealed that over a dozen who visited the same outlet were hospitalized. This year, multiple cases of serious food poisoning leading to hospitalization were reported in Hyderabad after patients had shawarma. Authorities also suspect that many cases of mild infections go unreported. With new eateries sprouting up every day, making their monitoring almost impossible, the government has decided to take strict measures.
Upon investigation, it was concluded that most of the food poisoning cases were linked to the use of contaminated mayonnaise made from raw eggs. Following the probe, the commissioner of food safety, Telangana issued a notification banning the usage of raw egg-based mayonnaise for a year recently.
“As per the observations during enforcement activities and complaints received from the public in the state of Telangana, mayonnaise made from raw eggs is suspected to be a cause of food poisoning in multiple incidents in the past few months. Mayonnaise (or 'mayo') is a thick, creamy sauce made by emulsifying egg yolks with oil, often flavoured with vinegar or lemon juice. It is commonly used as a side dish or dressing in sandwiches, salads, appetizers, snacks, shawarma, and various dishes,” according to the notification.
As per the notification, the state government has prohibited the production, storage, and sale of mayonnaise prepared from raw eggs under clause (a) of Sub-section (2) of Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, for a period of one year with effect from October 30.
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The ban has been welcomed by many citizens, especially parents, who appreciated the government’s action through social media posts. However, eateries that use mayonnaise are in a difficult position due to the ban. Some of those who have been sourcing mayonnaise from vendors admit they have no mechanism to check if the processing is done in a hygienic manner. However, they also fear losing customers if they cannot provide mayo with their dishes.
Meanwhile, vegetable and pasteurized egg mayonnaise are still available online and in supermarkets. Though the ban doesn’t apply to these products, the prevalent fear surrounding the usage of mayonnaise has affected sales of these products as well.