Shawarma Death Case: Kerala High Court Says 'Best Before' Date Vital To Prevent Mishaps, Inspections Necessary To Keep Manufacturers In Check

The Kerala High Court today observed that regular inspections of eateries and food manufacturers is necessary to prevent any untoward incident from consumption of outside food articles.Justice Devan Ramachandran was hearing the plea filed by the mother of a 16-year-old who lost her life in 2022 after consuming 'Shawarma'. Pursuant to Court's previous direction, Food Safety Commissioner Jafar Malik appeared before the Court and submitted that that special drives and awareness classes were being conducted to prevent such accidents in the future.He apprised the bench that over 13,000 shawarma stalls have been inspected so far and notices have been issued to 4,900 stalls. No instances of food poisoning or allegations of sub-standard food being sold were reported in Kerala in the last few months, especially during the Christmas and New Year Seasons, he added.The Court appreciated the commendable efforts taken by the authorities and stated that constant monitoring should continue. “The inspections have to be done consistently and without fail because any relaxation would generally give an impression to the manufacturers that the action would be lax.”Further, the Court stated that it was vital for eateries to mention the time period within which the food article should be consumed. It stated that Shawarma becomes poisonous when it is consumed after the stipulated period within which it was intended to be consumed. “The prescription of this court that there should be a marking on the article specifying the time within which it should be consumed is very vital", the Bench observed.Earlier, the Court had directed the eateries to exhibit the date and time of preparation of food articles on their packaging. It also directed that steps ought to be taken to create awareness amongst the public for the consumption of food articles within the stipulated time period mentioned on the product.Case Title: Prasanna E.V. v. State of Kerala & Ors.Case Number: W.P. (C) No. 19941 of 2023

Shawarma Death Case: Kerala High Court Says 'Best Before' Date Vital To Prevent Mishaps, Inspections Necessary To Keep Manufacturers In Check

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