Street food is a delightful and integral part of many cultures, offering unique culinary experiences that are often unparalleled. Bangladesh's vibrant street food scene is a feast for the senses, featuring delicious snacks and meals at every corner, from savory fuchka to sweet jilapi. These culinary delights are a must-try for any visitor. However, it is crucial to be mindful of potential health risks associated with street food, especially for those with sensitive stomachs. Here is how you can savor street food safely in Bangladesh. Tips for Eating Street Food Safely Check Reviews In the digital age, many food bloggers and reviewers provide insights into the quality and safety of street food vendors. Before buying food from a particular roadside stall, check online reviews. These reviews often highlight the hygiene practices of the vendors and the overall quality of the food. This can be an invaluable resource for making informed decisions about where to eat. Inspect the Vendor's Cleanliness Before deciding to purchase street food, take a moment to observe the vendor's cleanliness. Check if their hands are clean and if they use gloves or tongs when handling food. A vendor who maintains personal hygiene is likely to adhere to better food safety practices, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. The way a vendor handles food is a good indicator of their overall hygiene standards. Read more: Fridge Smells Bad? Reasons and How to Get Rid of It Assess the Cleanliness of the Stall The overall cleanliness of the food stall is another critical factor. Look for vendors who keep their cooking area and utensils clean and avoid those with overflowing bins or dirty utensils. A clean environment signifies good hygiene practices. Stalls that are well-organized and tidy are more likely to follow safe food handling practices, which helps in minimizing the risk of contamination. Go for Freshly Cooked Food Whenever possible, choose food that is cooked right in front of you. Freshly prepared foods are delicious and less likely to be at risk of spoilage. Foods that are left out for long periods can harbor bacteria, increasing the risk of illness. Opting for freshly cooked items ensures that you are consuming food that is less likely to have been contaminated. Observe Cooking Practices Watch how the food is being cooked. Ensure that hot foods are served hot and cold foods are served cold. Proper cooking temperatures are crucial for killing harmful bacteria. Additionally, observe if the vendor avoids cross-contamination by handling raw and cooked foods separately. These practices are vital for maintaining food safety. Read more: Urban Agriculture: Top 10 Monsoon Vegetables to Grow in Bangladesh Choose Busy Vendors Usually, a street food stall becomes popular for serving fresh and tasty foods. Therefore, it is best to opt for stalls with a high customer turnover. A busy vendor is often a sign of good food quality and safety. High turnover means that the food is being sold quickly, reducing the chances of it sitting out and becoming contaminated. Avoid Foods Washed with Tap Water In many places, tap water is not safe for consumption. Avoid eating foods that are washed with tap water, such as salads and raw vegetables. Contaminated water can carry harmful pathogens that lead to foodborne illnesses. It is suggested to opt for foods that do not require washing or are washed with safe water.

Pandemic or not, rinsing fruits and vegetables with water before eating them has always been an important habit -- as it helps remove many harmful bacteria, including salmonella, from the surface of the farm produce.  Covid-19 has only reinforced the need for washing fruits and vegetables under a running tap before consuming them. Not adhering to the practice could turn out to be a recipe for disaster -- food poisoning. Salmonella, for instance, causes salmonellosis that can lead to an upset stomach, fever and cramps in the belly. Children, pregnant women, and the aged are the most vulnerable. And if the infection gets into your blood, it can lead to serious complications. How to sanitise the fresh farm produce at home First step Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling eggs, raw meat, and seafood. Then wash fruits and vegetables under a running tap and rub them properly. Otherwise, germs on their surface can get inside while peeling them. Don’t wash the farm produce with soap or detergents. Also wash utensils, the cutting board, dishes and the kitchen top with hot water and liquid soap after preparing each dish and before embarking on the next one. Make it a point not to wash raw meat and eggs just before cooking. Otherwise, germs on them can spread to other food items, utensils, and kitchen surfaces. Read: How to identify adulterated milk at home Second step Wash raw meat, seafood, and eggs separately soon after bringing them home. You should wash them in the kitchen sink again but before disinfecting the utensils and the kitchen top. You should keep the unused eggs in the original carton and inside the refrigerator. Meanwhile, the cracked eggs should be discarded. Final step Using a food thermometer is the best way to ensure that foods are cooked to the right temperature. Fix the temperature at 63°C for beef, mutton, and fish. Eggs are needed to cook until both the yolk and white become firm. Don’t put cooked food on a plate that has already been used once for keeping raw meat, seafood, or eggs. Read: Kick-start your day with a healthy breakfast How to sanitize your kitchen after cooking Undoubtedly, the kitchen top is the most vulnerable area in the kitchen. It's used most of the time daily --  be it for preparing food or unpacking groceries. So, it is necessary to keep them clean all the time. Pay attention to the leftovers Bacteria generally tends to grow in tiny pieces of food lingering on your kitchen top. Wiping the spillover food by disinfecting your kitchen top will prevent the food residue and bacteria from building up over time accordingly. Read: Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks Keep your sponge clean first Your sponges and dishcloths harbor billions of bacteria. So you must disinfect them in a bleach solution so that you can reuse them. Alternatively, you can wash your sponge and warm it in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. You can wash your dishcloths in the washing machine. Keep your kitchen top dry Salmonella spreads in a moist environment. So whatever the process you use to disinfect your kitchen top, make sure to completely dry them afterward. It can be as simple as wiping down the surface areas such as around the sink where the place is wet due to accumulating condensation. To sum up, always disinfect the fruits and vegetables that you bring home. Read:IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life