Faith and Food Safety Handbook

Strengthening Fai th Inst i tut ions

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info@faithsforum4london.org

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In Par t nership w it h

- Communi ty Cohesion- Bui lding Good Governance- Women Empowerment- Youth Engagement- Fai th, Disabi l i ty, and

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Funding

Support package worth £1,500, offered for free.

Health check: facilitators will identify key strengths and

areas for improvement. They will create a bespoke action

plan that works for your community and resources.

Training sessions: targeted training for senior

management, clergy and volunteers. Topics include:

financial sustainability, good governance, fundraising,

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Through taking part in the SFI initiative your place of

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About t he St rengt hening Fait h Inst it ut ions Schem e

This booklet provides guidelines and support to ensure that faith institutions are able to provide safe and enjoyable

opportunities for communities to practice their faith and ensure that everybody is both spiritually and physically

nourished in a safe environment for all.

1. Introduction 5- 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2. Kitchens in Faith Insti tutions 8

3. Heat stroke 9

4. Sl ippage, Confined Spaces & Sharpe Objects 10

5. Hair Caught on Fire 11

6. A Near Miss 12

7. Operating Machinery 12- 13

8. Chi ld Safety 14

9. Fir st Aid 15- 16

10. Marquee and Temporary Kitchens 16

11. Gas, Naked Flames & Other Precautions 17

TABLE OF CONTENTS

12. Arm Burn & Peanut Al lergy 18

13. Personal Hygiene & Cleaning 19-20

14. Storage of Food 21-22

15. Prepar ing Food 23-25

16. Food Allergens 26

17. Healthy Living 27

18. Health & Food 27-28

1. Introduction

Food plays a central part of many faith communities, and it is often an important way of bringing congregations together. Many faith institutions around the country have facilit ies for the preparation and the serving of food on their premises.

However, issues surrounding health and safety awareness can often be overlooked. This document will explore the relationships that the main faith communities in the UK have with food, it will provide guidance and best practice on a number of areas in respect of food prepared and served within faith institutions.

1.1 Buddhism - Tem ple:

Symbolic offerings including food and water, are given during a puja or devotional ceremony dedicated towards honouring the Buddha. Alms are also given to monks as a means for lay Buddhists to show their respect to those who are more learned in the traditions.

The temples are usually found within dedicated Buddhist community centres. There are kitchens and dining areas for both the monks who live in the centre and the lay Buddhist who practise there.

1.2 Chr ist ianit y - Church:

The rite most associated with food is the Eucharist. Wine and bread to represent the blood and body of Christ are consecrated on the church altar or communion table and then consumed by the congregation.

Many churches have active church halls used for events, and the kitchens can range in size from small enclosed areas to large scale commercial catering facilit ies. These can cater for anything from tea and biscuits after a church service through to full meals for larger functions.

1.3 Hinduism - Mandir :

Worshippers are given blessed food or prasad once they have paid their respects to the deities. It is considered to be a form of prayer, with several worshipers bringing fruit or sweets along, to give to the deities before it is blessed and then distributed to all of the other worshippers. Most mandirs have kitchens which are used for special occasions. At Diwali and other major festivals, some mandirs organise large feasts which are first offered to the deities before being served to the gathered congregation.

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1.4 Islam - Mosque:

During the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims are obliged to fast, many mosques provide an Iftar meal (the first meal after dusk) to worshippers.

Mosques are the focal point for Muslim communities, and several have kitchens attached to them in order to help serve meals during Ramadan or other times of the year, depending on the traditions of the local community.

1.5 Judaism - Synagogue:

Food is an important part of the Jewish faith, particularly in respect of maintaining a kosher kitchen. However, most ceremonies which involve food tend to take place in the family home rather than in faith institutions, such as a Seder or a Shabbat meal.

Many synagogues also serve as community centres for Jews, and as such, they may have kitchens and dining areas depending on the size of the building. Any kitchen will be strictly monitored to ensure that it remains fully kosher.

1.6 Sikhism ? Gurdwara:

Visitors to a Gurdwara are given karah parshad (a traditional pudding) in the main prayer hall and will be offered a full meal in the langar (the free community kitchen). The provision of food is both a form of prayer for Sikhs and part of the hospitality offered at Gurdwaras, with most Sikhs giving donations of money or food to go towards the running of the langar.

All Gurdwaras have substantial kitchen facilit ies and dining areas in order to provide and serve langar for the local community. Some Gurdwaras serve food continuously throughout the day, whilst smaller faith institutions may provide langar once a day or only on occasion.

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Kitchens in Faith Insti tutions

(NB ? Each of the Case Studies is based on a real life incident. The names of individuals involved have been changed).

Whether big or small, kitchens can be very dangerous places. This section will look at some of the risks that can be found in faith institution kitchens and how to overcome them.

Ovens and Hot Plat es/Gr iddles:

Conventional ovens can go up to 240 degrees Celsius (464 degrees Fahrenheit), whilst catering and industrial ovens may go even higher.

Always use appropriate equipment when using an oven, such as oven gloves and tongs that can cope with such high heats.

Hot plates and griddles can reach up to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit), so make sure that children and vulnerable adults are kept away from hot plates whilst in use and for at least 90 minutes after the heat source has been switched off.

If the griddle has a trough for grease or residue, empty and clean it regularly.

Ovens, hot plates and griddles should be serviced annually, and knobs/dials should be replaced when necessary.

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Heat Stroke

CASE STUDY 1: Heat St roke

There was a major festival taking place in a temple, and a group of ten women were working together to make chapattis in the kitchens whilst some of the men in the congregation were busy cleaning the pots, pans and thalis.

May Ling was visiting her friend Gurpreet and wanted to help out in the kitchens for the festivities. She enjoyed the experience of rolling dough into small balls.

However, when she was asked to help with turning the chapattis over on the griddle, she found it very difficult due to the hot temperature in the kitchen. Her arm was turning red as it was directly over the hot griddle and she felt dizzy. One of the ladies noticed and offered her some water.

May Ling was encouraged to take a break and enjoy the hymns in the prayer hall.

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Slippage & Confined Spaces

CASE STUDY 2 - Slippage

Anita was at the Mandir to celebrate her sister-in-law's 21st birthday. Many family and friends had joined her at the celebrations, which included a special ceremonial dance by her sister-in-law. The guests had dinner afterwards, which was prepared and cooked by the family.

Anita was busy cleaning up in the kitchen.

Whilst washing the dishes a lot of water fell

onto the floor. She slipped in the puddle and

injured her back. She was taken to hospital

immediately. It took Anita several months to

recover from the accident and walk unaided.

CASE STUDY 3: Conf ined Spaces & Sharp Object s

There can often be several people coming in and out of a kitchen. Be aware of your surroundings at all t imes, as there may be someone carrying hot liquids/food or sharp objects very close by.

Risks are increased in smaller spaces, such as risks of fire, burns or slipping.

Sharp Object s (including Knives)

Knives and sharp objects should be stored in a knife tray and kept secure in drawers that can be locked. Items such as graters should be placed in cupboards out of reach from children.

Knives/sharp items should not be left out if they are not being used. When washing knives and sharp objects, they should not be placed to soak in a sink. It is easy to forget about them and someone may cut themselves accidentally whilst washing up.

Each knife/sharp object should be washed separately and dried immediately so that it can be returned to its storage place. If they cannot be dried immediately, they should be left to dry out of reach of children.

Hair Caught on Fire

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CASE STUDY 4 ? Hair Caught on Fire

Sukhvinder is 15. She goes to the Gurdwara with her family every weekend and she enjoys cooking in the kitchen. Like all observant Sikhs, she has never cut her hair. She keeps her hair in a long plait which goes down to her knees.

She was making chapattis in the Gurdwara kitchen and was standing very close to a gas burner. Suddenly she could smell something burning, but wasn't sure what it was. When she turned around, she saw that the bottom of her plait was smouldering as it had caught the naked flame. She was able to put it out very quickly.

Large Pot s/Cont ainers

Be careful when carrying large containers of hot food or liquid. Don't carry too much in one go.

Be aware of your surroundings at all t imes.

Cooking pots should never be left unsupervised, and they should be covered if possible.

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Machinery (such as for m ak ing dough)

Machinery should only be operated and supervised by trained individuals.

If it is a large piece of machinery, it should be kept in a separate area which can be kept locked when it is not in use. If that isn't possible, then steps should be taken to make sure that it can't operate unless a trained individual is present.

Smaller pieces of machinery should be stored out of reach from children and vulnerable adults.

A Near Miss

Operating Machinery

CASE STUDY 5 - A Near Miss

Farid is a 2-year-old toddler who loves running around. His mum was busy in the kitchens and wasn't able to keep an eye on Farid. Some large pots of curry were resting on the floor of the kitchen, and one of them didn't have a secure lid. Farid was very interested in the open pot. As he tried to look inside the pot, he fell in and almost drowned. Somebody managed to rescue him, and he was taken to hospital straight away.

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CASE STUDY 6 - Operat ing Machinery

Pupinder was new to the area. She was used to making dough with her bare hands and felt she could run langar (Gurdwara community) kitchens as she has had lots of experience of cooking for large groups when she was living in Punjab. She was intrigued by a dough making machine at the Gurdwara. Senior volunteers were happy to train her and she received some basic training to operate it. During the first time that she used the machine, her dupatta scarf got stuck in the blade and it nearly strangled her. Fortunately, she managed to take her scarf off in time. She was in shock and very distressed that this incident happened to her place of worship.

Supervision of Children and Vulnerable Adult s

Children and vulnerable adults should not be allowed in the kitchen without suitable adult supervision.

If there are children or vulnerable adults in a kitchen and it isn't clear who is supervising them, they should be politely asked to leave the kitchen until the supervising adult returns.

Children/Vulnerable adults who wish to help should be given tasks which will require minimal supervision, such as serving cold food/drinks .

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Child Safety

CASE STUDY 7 - Child Safet y

Sarah was at a coffee and cake afternoon in her local church, which was raising funds to build a new play area for young children. It had taken weeks of planning to organise the event, and she was looking forward to being there with her friends. She was making tea and coffee in the kitchens for the event, and her three-year-old son was being very clingy. He was restless that day, and wanted his mum's full attention. While she was taking some tea into the church gardens for the guests, her son pulled on her apron and she accidentally spilled some hot tea onto his face. The First Aid volunteer came running to check on Sarah's son. The burn was treated with ice and some ointment, and Sarah took her son to hospital to be checked over.

First Aid:

There should be at least one trained first aid volunteer at all t imes when the kitchen is in active use.

A first aid kit should be kept in an accessible place in the kitchen, and it should be checked once a month.

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Fir st Aid Kit

A basic f ir st aid k it m ay cont ain :

- Plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes- small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings- at least two sterile eye dressings- triangular bandages- crêpe rolled bandages- safety pins- disposable sterile gloves- tweezers - scissors - alcohol-free cleansing wipes - sticky tape - thermometer (preferably digital) - skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula - cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings - antiseptic cream - painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin

(not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen - cough medicine - antihistamine tablets - distilled water for cleaning wounds - eye wash and eye bath - Any cuts to the skin must be covered by a brightly coloured waterproof

dressing.

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Marquees and Temporary Kitchens:For special occasions, there may be a higher number of worshippers in attendance. This may mean marquees, temporary kitchens and other temporary structures are set up to meet the needs of the congregation.

Temporary kitchens have higher levels of risk as they are often put together in a short period of time by volunteers.

CASE STUDY 8 - First Aid

Iqbal is 23 and a regular volunteer at the Gurdwara. He wants to start helping out in the kitchens, and he is given lots of heavy duties such as picking up large pot of hot food.

The congregation have brought donations of food which they leave in the main prayer hall. Iqbal picks up some wooden crates of fruit and takes them to the storage room. He gets a splinter in his hand from one of the crates, and tries to find somebody to help him.

It takes a while to locate the first aid kit, and when it 's opened up, the tweezers are missing. One of his fellow volunteers has to go to the shops down the road in order to buy some new tweezers. Iqbal eventually gets the splinter out.

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Gas, Naked Flames, & Other Precautions

If using gas cylinders, check that the valves are kept closed until needed.

When connecting gas cylinders to pipes or tubing, you can check for leaks by covering the pipe/tubing with a soap-and-water solution and turning the gas on.

If any bubbles form, there is a leak at that spot. If the bubble forms at a fitt ing, tighten the fitt ing and try the test again.

If the bubble forms along the pipe/tubing, you

must replace the pipe/tubing.

Spare gas cylinders must be stored safely and

away from any heat sources or naked flames.

If you smell gas, shut off open cylinders if possible and evacuate the area

NAKED FLAMES

Fire risks are greater in temporary structures.

Use fire retardant decorations and marquees/structures

wherever possible. Keep flames and heat sources a

suitable distance away from anything capable of

catching fire. Keep long hair, scarves and other loose

items of clothing or jewellery tied up and away from

flames.

OTHER PRECAUTIONS

Always be aware of your surroundings, including children and others in the vicinity.

Keep a fire blanket and fire extinguisher easily accessible in the temporary kitchen and in the temporary structure/marquee.

Prepare and keep a spare first aid kit specifically for this area.

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Arm Burn & Peanut Al lergy

CASE STUDY 9 - Arm Burn

Talveer is an elderly lady who goes to the Gurdwara every day before work. She arrives in the Gurdwara in the early hours of the morning to start cooking. She begins with chopping onions and spices and lets them sauté for around fifteen minutes, after which she puts in lentils and butter. She lets this cook for another one hour.

One morning, the big pot was boiling and she opened it to check on the lentils. A lot of steam comes out of the pot and burns her arm. Talveer was in a lot of pain, but the volunteers with her quickly step in and put her arm in cold water to stop the burn.

CASE STUDY 10 - Peanut Allergy

Aaron was 11 years old and he was at a Diwali festival at a local mandir. The organisers of the event handed out Indian sweets to the guests as they were leaving.

Aaron was at home with his parents just before lunchtime when he ate a small piece of the sweet. Within moments he started feeling sick and was given a soft drink, but soon began having difficulty breathing. His brother gave him a shot from his epipen and he was still conscious when paramedics arrived, but then went into cardiac arrest.      

By the time the ambulance had raced the seven miles from his house to the hospital, his heart had stopped beating. Medics battled to save him, but he was pronounced dead later in hospital.

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Personal Hygiene & Cleaning

In order to keep a kitchen free from germ and bacteria, it is important to clean the area regularly as well as maintain good personal hygiene at all t imes

PERSONAL HYGIENE

Everyone entering a kitchen to prepare, cook or serve food should wash their hands thoroughly first. You should do so, each time you return to the kitchen.

There should be disposable towels or electric hand dryers for use after washing your hands. If it is not possible to have those, then hand towels should be used.

Wet cloths and towels are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. If a hand towel becomes damp with use, it should be replaced with a dry towel as soon as possible.

Wear clean aprons wherever possible.

Cover your mouth and turn away from food when coughing or sneezing, and wash your hands thoroughly before returning to prepare, cook or serve food.

If you feel ill, do not enter the kitchen or offer to help with preparing, cooking or serving the food.

If you have suffered from vomiting or diarrhea, do not enter the kitchen until 48 hours after the last symptoms.

CLEANING

Always remember that wet cloths and items are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.

Make sure that surfaces being used for food preparation are kept hygienically clean.

Use separate chopping boards for different food types, such as one for vegetables and one for meat,fish and poultry.

If you touch or handle any raw meat, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them before continuing with food preparation.

Make sure that all surfaces are cleaned hygienically as soon as possible after use.

Clean floors regularly with soap or disinfectant and water.

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Washing-up brushes should be washed regularly in a dishwasher or cleaned with detergent and warm water after each use.

Re-useable cloths and sponges should be rinsed and disinfected after each use.

There should be at least two buckets kept in the kitchen for use with mops , one bucket for soap, detergent and disinfectant and the second for rinsing.

Mops and buckets should be cleaned and disinfected after each use.

Hygienically clean sinks regularly with appropriate cleaning products.

Foot or motion operated bins are best to use for rubbish, as it will not require you to touch the surface of the bin when throwing things away. Always wash your hands after touching a bin or throwing rubbish away.

Empty the bins regularly to avoid attracting pests.

To prevent the spread of germs, all towels and cotton cloths/coverings should be washed at 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), or at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) if using a bleach-based detergent.

Washing machines should be run empty on a cycle at least once a week at a high temperature. This will help combat against germs and bacteria.

Laundry should be removed from the washing machine immediately after a wash, so that germs and bacteria don't spread

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Storage of Food

Food needs to be stored in appropriate areas at all t imes.

Dry foods such as flour and pulses should be stored away in lockable containers, on shelves or in cupboards. Leaving dry foods loose or on the floor could attract pests.

Put labels on all stored food which set out all of the allergens it contains (see the Food Allergen section below).

All items that have a 'Use by ' date and say 'keep ref r igerat ed' on the label must be stored in a fridge.

Leftovers should be cooled down as quickly as possible, and ideally within two hours, before being put in a fridge. They should also be eaten within two days.

If the food is very hot and you wish to store it in the fridge, you can cool it down by thinning it out over a tray. You can also put it in a container which can be placed in a sink filled with cold water, making sure that the water doesn't spill into the container.

You should rotate food in the fridge every day, moving those with the soonest 'Use by ' date to the front and moving those with the longest 'Use by ' date to the back. The same applies for leftovers and pre-cooked food stored in the fridge.

Keep the fridge at 5 degrees Celsius or below.

You should clean and inspect the fridge once a fortnight, so that it remains

There is a big difference between 'Use by ' and 'Best

before' dates.

'Use by ' means that the food should be thrown away if

it hasn't been eaten or used by then.

'Best before' means that the food will be of good

quality until that date, and whilst it won't be dangerous

to eat food after that date, it may not taste as good.

Leftovers should be cooled down as quickly as

possible, and ideally within two hours, before being

put in a fridge. They should also be eaten within two

days. Cooked rice should be cooled down quickly and stored in a fridge within an hour of it being cooked. It should be eaten within a day.

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Make sure that any leftovers that need warming up are reheated until it reaches a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for at least two minutes, so it is steaming hot throughout.

If the reheated food is to be kept to serve later, it should be stored in a heated cabinet or container at a temperature of at least 63 degrees Celsius.

Most food can be frozen, so if you have too much in leftovers, think about storing it in the freezer in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Make sure it has cooled down properly before putting it in the freezer.

Eggs are best kept in the fridge.

Raw m eat and poult ry should be

kept in clean and sealed containers

on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

Cooked m eat and ot her cooked

foods should be kept on separate

shelves away from raw meat/poultry

and also away from raw fruit

and vegetables.

You should never re-freeze raw meat/

poultry/fish that has been defrosted.

Defrost ed food should not be refrozen, as that can increase the likelihood of food poisoning

However, once the defrosted raw meat/poultry/fish has been cooked, it can be stored in the freezer again as long as it has cooled down.

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Prepar ing Food

FRUIT & VEGETABLES

All fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly to ensure that traces of pesticides and soil are removed.

Soil can often contain harmful bacteria such as E.coli, so it is important to wash food during preparation.

Vegetables should be washed under a running tap and by rubbing them under water, such as in a bowl of fresh water. Each item should also be given a final rinse.

Start with items with the least soil first.

Loose produces tends to have more soil than

pre-packaged fruit and vegetables, so wash

them carefully.

You can also removing bacteria by peeling and

cooking fruit and vegetables.

Use separate chopping boards and knives for

raw and ready-to-eat fruit/vegetables, or wash the boards/knives between uses.

Always wash your hands after handling raw fruit/vegetables.

POULTRY

About 75% of raw chicken sold in the UK contains the bacteria campylobacter, which is the most common cause of food poisoning in the country.

Never wash raw chicken or turkey under a running tap. Water droplets can travel 50 cm when washing items, and it only takes a few droplets of water containing campylobacter to contaminate other food, dishes, worktops or cutlery in the kitchen and result in food poisoning.

Food poisoning from campylobacter affects almost half a million people and kills around 100 people each year.

GENERAL

It is always good practice to keep cross-contamination between food types to a minimum. Make sure that all vegetables and vegetarian food is stored, prepared and cooked separately from meat/poultry/fish products.

Ensure that all gluten-containing foods are kept away from gluten-free items.

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COOKING FOOD

When cooking with oil, be very careful. Hot oil can splash or spill from a pot or pan while you are cooking, and it can cause serious burns.

If you experience an oil burn, put the burn injury under a cold running tap for 15 minutes or until the burn starts to cool down. Then dress it using items within the first aid kit.

Cooking in large pots or cauldrons can be very dangerous. Make sure that the pot is supervised at all t imes to prevent accidental injuries.

Pulses such as lentils and kidney beans need to be fully cooked before serving. Raw kidney beans and red lentils are poisonous if they are not cooked properly, and they can cause food poisoning.

Out-of-date ingredients can also cause food poisoning, so throw anything away once it is beyond its 'Use by' date.

When cooking in a confined space, the room can become very hot. Take regular breaks and drink plenty of water in order to avoid heat exhaustion. Keep your hair covered with appropriate head wear at all t imes.

The follow ing m eat /poult ry need t o be cooked t horoughly before serving:

- poultry- pork - offal, including liver - burgers - sausages - rolled joints of meat - kebabs

When cooking burgers, sausages, chicken and pork, cut into the middle to check that the meat is no longer pink, the juices run clear and it 's steaming hot throughout.

When cooking a whole chicken or other poultry, pierce the thickest part of the leg (between the drumstick and the thigh) to check there is no pink meat and that the juices are no longer pink or red.

Pork joints and rolled joints shouldn't be eaten pink or rare. To check when these types of joint are ready to eat, put a skewer into the centre of the meat and check that there is no pink meat and the juices run clear.

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SERVING FOOD

- Keep your hair covered with appropriate headwear at all t imes.

- Hot plates and griddles can cause burns very easily, so be aware.

- Metal food containers with reservoirs also help to keep food warm. The metal containers and the hot water underneath can also cause burns easily.

- Make sure that your hands are washed thoroughly before serving food.

- You should turn away from the food and cover your face to cough or sneeze, and wash your hands immediately before returning to serve food.

- Food temperatures should be kept constant by keeping food warm on hot plates on in metal food containers with a heat source underneath.

- Rice in particular should be kept hot after it has been cooked in order to avoid food poisoning.

- If any food is spilled on the floor whilst being served, it should be cleaned up immediately to prevent risk of slippage.

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Food Allergens

Under EU legislation introduced in December 2014, anyone providing food must inform people consuming that food, whether it contains any of the following:

- celery - including any found in stock cubes and

soup

- cereals containing gluten - including spelt

wheat, rye and barley

- crustaceans - including crabs, lobster, prawn

and shrimp paste

- eggs - including food glazed with egg - lupin - can be found in some types of bread, pastries and pasta - milk ? including yogurt, desserts and cheese - molluscs - mussels, land snails, squid, and also found in oyster sauce - mustard- including mustard seeds, mustard oil, and mustard leaves (sarson

da saag) - nuts - for example almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans - peanuts ? they can also be found in groundnut oil        - sesame seeds - found in some bread, houmous and tahini - soya - found in beancurd, edamame beans, tofu, and soya milk - sulphur dioxide - a preservative found in dried fruit, meat products, soft

drinks, vegetables, and alcohol.

Fait h inst it ut ions m ust provide inform at ion about what foods cont ain allergens t o everybody who eat s t hem .

You should put labels and signs in front of all food being served to list all the allergens it contains.

Efforts should be made to make the food as inclusive as possible. For example, having food which is gluten-free and nut-free is a good way of making sure that others can partake in celebrations without feeling excluded.  

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Healthy Living

Food is an essential part of life and living, and our work and leisure times are all centred around the act of preparing and sharing food. Food also provides an opportunity for families and communities to get together. For example, Christmas dinner is celebrated by people of all faiths and none.

Food is often shared with neighbours to celebrate iftar meals during Ramadan and for Eid celebrations. Diwali and Holi is also celebrated with food as food gives sustenance and pleasure.

For Sikhs, preparing, serving and partaking in the langar or free community kitchen is an essential part of attending the Gurdwara.

Faith institutions play an important part in ensuring that the life that we live is healthy and can we can contribute to society successfully. Faith also has an important part in the way we live our daily lives and the communities in which we live.

The sharing of food is an important part of how we practise our faiths. Many of us celebrate religious festivals with an abundance of food.

HEALTH AND FOOD

All religions preach austerity in food. However, that message can often get lost.

Many important religious festivals which centre themselves on food can sometimes be times of over-indulgence, and over time this can lead to chronic health problems. As an example, South Asians are about twice as likely to develop diabetes compared with people from white European backgrounds.

South Asian people are also more likely to develop diabetes at a younger age. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also more common in South Asian people, as is the risk of dying early from CHD.

Experts aren?t sure why this is the case, but it may be linked to diet, lifestyle and different ways of storing fat in the body. Having these problems impacts on the way we are able to enjoy life in the communities that we live in.

Too much fat in your diet, especially saturated fats, can raise your cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. In order to live healthy lives according to our faith we can make adjustments such as reducing the fat we eat.

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For example replace fatty foods such as pakoras and samosas with healthy alternatives such as :

- Roasted corn on the cob- Boiled potato chaat (savoury snack)- Samosa baked in the oven- Baked crisps- Popcorn (unsalted)- Microwaved or grilled poppadoms/papad- Mixed unsalted nuts- Fresh sprouted moong beans- Dhokla/steamed rice and lentil cakes

Replace saturated fats such as ghee and butter with small amounts of healthier fats such as pure vegetable oil (rapeseed), olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and healthy low fat spreads.

Invest in a good quality non-stick frying pan in order to make your ?turka" or "vagar"/dry spice mix. Measure any oil you are adding with a spoon instead of pouring it straight from the container. Use an oil and water spray. You'll use just a fraction of the normal amount of oil. Add water or lemon juice if onions stick to the bottom of your pan.

Avoid adding ghee or oil to your chapatti dough and also spreading fat on cooked chapattis.

Many people work on a voluntary basis to ensure that everyone is looked after and taken care of within the confines of the faith institutions by providing food and nourishment.

However, with the abundance of fatty food at religious festivals, faith institutions need to take responsibility for ensuring that our communities are served food in accordance to the teachings of the faith and that the congregation learns to enjoy healthy and longer lives.

The core teachings of many religions often stress the importance of not over indulging in pleasures which increase the likelihood of disease.