What's in your summer drink?
Roadside golas and ice water is everyone's go-to on a sweltering day out,but the bmc has found E.coli bacteria in ice samples across mumbai.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recently conducted a survey- Escheria coli (E.coli) bacteria, they have around 410 samples of edible ice from restaurants, juice vendors and the roadside sellers from March 1 to 31st, 400 samples tested positive in which it revealed that more than 90 per cent were contaminated with the E.coli bacteria.
After this piece of information came to light, the BMC health officials have warned Mumbaikars against consuming roadside cold beverages or ice.
Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, BMC said, “After the detection of E.coli, we term that sample as contaminated and unfit for human consumption.” She added, “During the survey, we have paid visit to more 15 factories, there also we found most samples were contaminated. We destroyed more than 14,700kg of ice.”
Doctors from public hospitals said contaminated ice, sales of which go up in summer, is a primary cause for increase in waterborne ailments such as diarrhoea and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), gastro, stomach infection and throat infections.
Talking to The Asian Age, Dr Avinash Supe, director of major civic-run hospital said, “Humidity in weather is a major reason behind people opting for juices, and cold beverages sold by roadside vendors. Drinking beverages using contaminated ice also causes serious gastro-intestinal complications. The number of cases has increased significantly in the past one month,”
When asked how to identify the condition of E.coli Dr Supe said, “The first symptoms are stomach upset and vomiting and continuous dysentery, after the repeated episodes the victim should contact physician on an urgent basis.”
Nutritionists have also maintained that proper diet is need of the hour for avoiding episodes of infections. While cautioning Mumbaikars against consuming roadside beverages, they also advice on eating more salads along with fruits and vegetables.
Dr Pallavi Kharade Nutritionist and dieticians at civic-run Sion hospital, said, “Healthy life style is must and to beat the summer, juices like watermelon, muskmelon are effective. Citrus fruits are beneficial, mostly seasonal fruits such as ‘white Jamuns’ (water apples) and palm fruits should be taken on daily basis.”