A BAHRAINI friend of mine recently came down with severe food poisoning after a restaurant dinner.
Eating a meal cooked by strangers requires a leap of faith. Consumers have to trust that ingredients are as described, and that their meal has been prepared in a clean and safe way. Yet many restaurants in the country are routinely betraying consumers’ faith.
This is a problem blessed with numerous solutions. As things stand, businesses found to pose an imminent risk to health are shut down.
Yet some continue serving customers while making improvements. They should be made to close until they have raised standards. A high customer rating on TripAdvisor is no guarantee of cleanliness in the kitchen.
Standards are falling partly because officials, who are in charge of maintaining food hygiene in their area, are carrying out fewer checks.
Not all restaurants are behaving badly. Plenty prepare their food in clean conditions. All restaurants should aim for the best. The dangers are real. Eating out should be a pleasure and a privilege, not a risk.
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