You may feel like never buying ‘fresh’ fruit juice from outside after you read this. Recently, it came to light that owner of an ice cream parlour in the tourist town of Ponda (30 km from Panaji) was, until now, in the habit of urinating in the very jar in which he prepares juice.
It was an employee of his shop who caught him in the act. The employee secretly shot a video, transferred it to a CD and sent it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials in Panaji. The officials swung into action immediately and shut off his establishment. This way, they saved hundreds of tourists and pilgrims from his ‘leakage’ problem.
Salim Velijee, director, FDA, Goa , said the video clipping sent to them shows the owner emptying his bladder—covertly, of course—in a mixer jar, which is used to make fruit juices. They received the clipping on Monday and a team of food safety officials showed up at his shop the next day itself.
When confronted, the shopowner said he was doing this as he had no other feasible option to relieve himself. He said his establishment does not have a toilet and he, being diabetic, has to empty his bladder frequently.
The FDA officials have closed his shop and asked him to make arrangements for a toilet, set right all other health hazards in his shop and give them a compliance report. Velijee said he would send food inspectors to the shop again once he received the compliance report. He said the shop would be allowed to resume business only after he is satisfied about hygiene. From this point of view, he said, the shop was lacking in 16 areas.
Comments