In recent years, popular YouTubers and travel vloggers have explored Indian street food culture. While many appreciated its diversity and taste, some videos have highlighted concerning hygiene practices — stirring international conversations about food safety.
What Vloggers Found
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Bald and Bankrupt, Food Ranger, and Luke Martin posted videos where they encountered:
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Bare hands mixing sauces
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Unwashed dishes reused
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Flies and open drains near food stalls
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Some reactions from vloggers were lighthearted, others critical. One vlogger remarked, “India’s food is delicious, but sometimes it feels like a stomach flu adventure.”
Public Reactions
While many Indian viewers defended their culture, others agreed hygiene needed improvement:
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Local NGOs launched awareness campaigns
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Indian doctors commented on foodborne illness spikes after festivals
Tourist vloggers like The Food Ranger and independent creators posted videos from India showing street food hygiene lapses. While many praised taste and cultural richness, some footage revealed food prepared with bare hands, reused utensil jugs, flies around open sinks – triggering global concern. One American influencer said he contracted four types of Salmonella despite eating in a five‑star hotel in India, shining a light on sanitation issues. youtube.comeconomictimes.indiatimes.com
Common Hygiene Failings
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Bare-hand contact in food prep, reuse of oil
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Flies & rodents near food stalls
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Inadequate cleaning of plates/glasses
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Stalls near open drains and garbage sites
Reactions
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Mixed: some defended street food’s authenticity; others urged reforms
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NGO outreach campaigns began educating vendors in several cities
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Tourist advisories by some embassies warned about foodborne illness risks
Insight
As one user noted:
“food bloggers will go where the crowd is… 90% of the street food stalls are unhygienic as fuck.” Reddit
Conclusion
Indian street food is beloved globally, but consistent criticism and occasional health scares have fueled a push toward better hygiene and safer practices.
