THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after a 16-year-old girl died of food poisoning after eating Shawarma at a local eatery in Kasaragod district, the Kerala government on Monday said guidelines will be issued to make the Levantine dish safe for consumption.
Health Minister Veena George said directions have been issued to the Food Safety Commissioner to ensure neat and clean preparation of the dish for the customers.
"Many a time, the chicken used for making Shawarma may not be properly cooked. The fully mechanised machine should be used to make Shawarma so that the chicken will be properly cooked and is safe for consumption," minister said in a release.
She also said the state government will provide free medical treatment for all those who were affected, at government hospitals.
Two staff of the eatery, where the school students had the rotten Shawarma, have been arrested and charged under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The police is also considering calling back to the state, owner of the eatery who is abroad.
Devananda, a resident of Karivallor near Kasaragod, died at the Kanhangad district hospital on Sunday, while undergoing treatment for food poisoning.
Eighteen others, who were admitted to the district hospital after they fell sick, are undergoing treatment.
Shawarma is thinly sliced pieces of marinated meat, like lamb, chicken or beef rolled into a flat bread.