Eating Momos From A Roadside Stall Kills One, Sickens Dozens in Hyderabad; Why Are Street Foods Dangerous?

A woman died while her two minor daughters along with 50 others were hospitalized after eating momos from a roadside stall in Hyderabad. News reports say the woman died earlier this week while others are recuperating at different city hospitals.

Police said all those who ate momos from the eatery started showing signs of severe food poisoning - vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. “They were rushed to hospital as their condition started deteriorating. While Reshma (the woman) died on the way to the hospital, her two daughters are still under treatment,” a police officer told the Times of India.

After a complaint was filed with food safety officials the street vendor was tracked by police and arrested him.

An inspection of the eatery found that it was operating without the mandatory FSSAI license and that the food was being prepared under unhygienic conditions. “We have collected samples of food articles found at the location and sent them to the state food laboratory for analysis. We have also issued orders to stop the operations. The blood culture and stool test reports of the victims have been collected to determine the exact cause of food poisoning,” said a food safety official.

According to experts, momos are susceptible to various health issues, including food poisoning as most people at sell the delicacy do not care much for health and hygiene.

The fillings for momos – which include vegetables and meat - not usually washed and cut properly can become expired and marred with E. coli bacteria and viruses that causes a slew of infections like:

• Urinary tract infection
• Abdominal cavity infection
• Gastroenteritis
• Vomiting
• Cramps

Even vegetables like cabbage and carrots, if not washed, can cause stomach flu, diarrhoea, etc. Cabbage usually has spores of tapeworm which can reach the brain lodge there, and grow eventually, causing a life-threatening condition.

Also, the dish is made from refined flour, which leads to:

• Spike in blood sugar and insulin, causing metabolic dysfunction
• Depletion in nutrients
• Displacing healthier foods from the diet

Refined flour is extensively used in making dough for momos and its high starch content lacks fibre and produces a rapid increase in blood sugar when consumed. The hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemia effects of refined flour can cause severe blood sugar swings, which over time can significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

To make matters worse, flour, during the refining process results in a substantial loss of dietary fibre, vitamins B and E, iron, magnesium, and other important nutrients.

It also adds to weight gain, obesity, hypertension, and cancer.

Momos, according to many health experts, are most likely to contain mono-sodium glutamate or MSG, which not only leads to obesity but also causes a string of other health issues like nervous disorder, sweating, chest pain, nausea, and palpitations. Doctors say momos also contain mono-sodium glutamate, or MSG, which not only leads to obesity but also causes a string of other health issues like nervous disorder, sweating, and palpitations.

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