Temptations inviting danger

This season, don’t let the summer heat blind you into something that would end on a bad note. While not having water or liquid may lead to dehydration and skin infections, having road-side fruits or drinks may also send you to a nearby hospital for infection.
Water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, jaundice and typhoid are common during summer season and this would be the right time to think and question how safe is what you put into your mouth?  

The summer brings along with it many treats. The fruit shops are suddenly filled with delicious watermelons, soothing papaya and tasty mangoes.

And there is no end to the number of people who consume these on regular basis. But cut fruits or exposed food almost certainly attracts flies and dust.

If the fruits are being sold in unhygienic conditions, chances are that it can lead to the risk of gastroenteritis, which can further lead to many other diseases. “Cut fruits and drinks with ice have a high chance of leading to water-borne diseases.

Cases of diseases like gastro-enteritis have increased by two fold since summer started,” says Dr Madhusudana,  a general physician.

The choices available to people to quench their thirst are many.  Lemon water or soda, sweet lime juice, sugarcane juice, everything is readily available on the street. While lemon and sugarcane sticks are mostly covered before extracting the juice, there is no guarantee of the machine being used.

“Roadside stalls don’t have the luxury of a germ-free environment to protect the utensils and machines, so it is a risk,” says Sadiq, a professional.

“The bigger shops selling these drinks do take precautions, with the employees even wearing hand gear to avoid any unwanted infection but you never know about the ice being used,” says Sushant, a student.  

The ice-candywallahs on the street do insist that the ice is made from clean water but it’s hardly ever the truth.

The ice is generally bought in bulk from suppliers in the City and since it is difficult to know the source of the water used to make it, taking ice sometimes turns out to be a risky affair.

“The waterborne diseases spread in summer are mostly due to ice, as source
of the water is not known. Also often, the utensils are not washed properly,” says Madhusudana.

The best way to go this summer is to have packaged juices and drinks. “I prefer sticking to coconut water while I am outside because it’s safe,” says Richa Arora, a professional.
Having fluids prepared at home like lemon water with salt or home-cut fruits will keep the dehydration at bay without inviting deadly viruses.