In Kerala, shawarma leaves a 'deadly' aftertaste.

KOZHIKODE:

 'Shawarma,' which means 'turning' in English, is a popular and excellent street snack found throughout West Asia. Due to the enormous number of people travelling to and from various countries of West Asia, it has also grown common in Kerala. The fast-food item that was formerly popular among non-vegetarians in the state has now turned into a villain, with at least three people dying as a result of eating it. Food industry experts and health officials claim that they have always warned the public about the 'dangers' of shawarma, particularly during the summer.

On a roll as a villain?

Summer is a bad time to eat shawarma, according to health officials. "When consuming such foods, extreme caution should be exercised because the hot weather may assist bacterial growth," a health department official warned. The bacteria in the recent Kasaragod food poisoning case that resulted in a girl's death were confirmed as shigella (see article below). Salmonella germs, on the other hand, were the most common cause of food-borne diseases, according to Dr Rahul N, a general medicine expert at a private hospital in Kozhikode. "Shawarma is served with mayonnaise," he continued, "which is one of the most likely meals to cause food illness because it is created with raw eggs."

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In Kottayam, a student was hospitalised. 

After eating shawarma at a store near the campus in Gandhinagar on Monday, a 20-year-old paramedical student from Kottayam Government Medical College was brought to the medical college hospital with symptoms of food illness. Soon after eating the dish, the Thiruvananthapuram native became uneasy. According to hospital officials, her health was stable.

 

The state's first alleged'shawarma death' occurred in Thiruvananthapuram in 2012. Another person died in Kozhikode in 2013. A teen girl from Kasaragod has now become the next victim. The death of a 21-year-old man in Thiruvananthapuram in July 2012 sparked uproar and raised worries about shawarma. A 30-year-old Gulf returnee died in Kozhikode in 2013, purportedly after eating shawarma from a beach stall, although health officials said the youngster's medical records ruled out food poisoning. Devananda, 16, of Kannur, died on May 1 after eating shawarma at Kasaragod's Ideal Cool Bar.