Regulate eateries with stricter laws

Human health and well-being depend primarily on the food we consume. While a fast-paced lifestyle and the rapid growth of the restaurant business have undoubtedly created jobs and contributed to the economy, many kitchens in these restaurants remain unchecked. They are rarely monitored for food standards, hygiene of both food and cooks, and the cleanliness of their location and maintenance. Beyond this, food waste and widespread food safety violations plague the restaurant sector, demanding urgent policy intervention. 

As a matter of practice, many restaurants use food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) to enhance savoury flavours; sodium nitrite to preserve processed meats; guar gum to thicken sauces and dressings; artificial sweeteners and colours; trans fats; potassium sorbate as a preservative; and butylated hydroxytoluene, among others – all of which carry direct public health consequences. 

Most of these additives offer no nutritional value. Research increasingly shows that non-caloric sweeteners, emulsifiers, benzoate preservatives, and artificial colours are linked to heightened risks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental health disorders, carcinogenic effects, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. In children, disturbed behavioural patterns have been associated with azo dye colourants and sodium benzoate. In animal studies, many of these chemical agents have shown neurotoxic effects and disruption of the gut microbiome. 

At present, municipalities across most towns and cities employ food inspectors, but many are part-time or contractual. Some rarely visit restaurants at all, let alone inspect kitchens for safety and hygiene. The fate of millions of consumers is thus left to the discretion of food handlers who operate according to their own practices. Given this reality, the restaurant industry – including canteens, takeaway joints, street food outlets and food ordered via delivery aggregators – resembles an “atomic bomb” model for gut-related disorders, adult obesity and comorbidities, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, mental health issues and even cancers. 

The Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies, together with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has a timely opportunity to collaborate with institutes of public health and NGOs across the country to develop a framework for effective public health monitoring of food outlets. Proactive district magistrates could also play a role by creating local task forces to strengthen food safety norms. 

Such a framework must cover the prevention of foodborne illnesses, strict adherence to food safety and hygiene standards, the proper use of cleaning agents, and tighter regulation of food additives. Food contamination must be closely monitored and contained. 

Food waste protocols must also be implemented. A portion of this waste can be channelled to support stray animals, particularly dogs and cats, thereby building an inclusive one-health policy through district-level protocols. The framework should also include inventory management, safe storage practices, customer service models and menu design as part of its monitoring and regulatory mechanisms. 

According to the Food Waste Index Report 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), India generates about 68.7 million tonnes of food waste annually, of which 11.9 million tons come from the food service sector --including caterers, canteens, hotels, and other establishments. This waste offers opportunities for policy innovation, particularly by addressing pre-consumer waste: food prepared but uneaten, stored food, leftovers from large events, and unconsumed takeaway items. While consumed food waste can support hungry animals in a meaningful way, inedible waste must be safely disposed of to prevent disease outbreaks. 

As non-communicable diseases rise and young people face growing vulnerability to obesity, metabolic syndrome and heart diseases, “food for health governance” must become a policy priority. Worrying practices such as reusing cooking oil, undercooking food to cut costs, storing food at unsafe temperatures, procuring supplies from unsafe sources, inadequate cold storage, and the presence of flies, rodents and other vectors in kitchens all contribute to poor food-health governance. 

Climate-induced challenges – heat waves, flooding and other extreme weather events – further complicate food storage and handling, with direct implications for food security and sustainability. It is essential that food systems and health systems converge to regulate the restaurant sector, ensuring that health and safety remain integral to business operations. 

Inspections must focus on preventive health outcomes for citizens, with an emphasis on homegrown and organic produce, minimal use of food additives, colours and preservatives, and strict hygiene standards both inside and outside the kitchen. These must form the backbone of a regulatory framework rooted in public health and safety outcomes.

(The writer is honorary director of the Edward & Cynthia Institute of Public Health, Mangaluru)