Spoonful (spitful?) of disgust — when hygiene goes out of the window

(The image is for illustration only)

by Dr Rahim Said

It’s disturbing how easily the line between tasty and toxic can blur in some of our beloved local eateries. Just recently, a video of a mixed rice stall owner in Johor sampling dishes with a single spoon caused quite a stir online.

This wasn’t just a casual taste test. The owner went from dish to dish, leaving behind more than his culinary “stamp of approval.”

Over 300,000 views later, the clip has sparked widespread outrage – and rightly so. Saliva doesn’t belong in our food, and hygiene should be non-negotiable when it comes to food preparation.

While some might dismiss this incident as “harmless,” the reality is far less appetising. Cross-contamination is a serious issue, potentially exposing patrons to a cocktail of bacteria and viruses with every bite.
From flu to cold viruses, and possibly even more serious pathogens, the risk is real. And let’s be honest – no one orders mixed rice with a side of saliva.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time questionable hygiene practices have surfaced. Mamak stalls, hawker centres, and even some fancy cafes aren’t immune.

If we look back, there was that infamous case of teh tarik vendors tasting drinks with the same spoon used to prepare the entire batch, exposing every customer to whatever germs might be lurking in the vendor’s mouth. Teh tarik is one of our national beverages, but for many, watching that spoon go from mouth to glass is enough to make us order bottled water instead.

The public outrage over this latest incident is well-founded. In response, the mixed rice stall owner issued a public apology, promising to improve his hygiene practices. But how much can one apology wash away?
Trust, once lost, is hard to regain – especially when health and safety are on the line.

Perhaps it’s time to address this issue from the top. Malaysia’s food safety regulations need teeth, not merely in words but in enforcement. The public outcry should be a wake-up call for authorities to ramp up inspections.

Food vendors need to understand that cutting corners on hygiene is unacceptable. In the era of social media, foodborne germs aren’t the only thing that goes viral – incidents like these spread quickly, impacting livelihoods and reputations.

A practical solution would be to implement random inspections at food stalls and mamak shops, and to ensure that food handlers understand the risks of poor hygiene.

Health departments could launch an awareness campaign, teaching food handlers simple practices: don’t reuse tasting spoons, avoid direct contact with food, and understand the risks of cross-contamination. Establishing these best practices can help vendors see that a little precaution goes a long way.

To those of us who frequent these places, maybe it’s time to start making choices that reflect our expectations. Support establishments that respect hygiene. And to those preparing our meals: remember, the small things count.

A clean spoon, a fresh ladle – these aren’t just about cleanliness; they’re about respect for the people who eat at your tables.

(Dr Rahim Said is a human behaviourist and regular contributor to digital media platforms. He is a professional management consultant, a corporate trainer and an executive coach specialising in coaching senior executives and individual entrepreneurs to modify their behaviour and pursue their cherished missions. The views expressed by our columnist are entirely his own)

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