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A viral video of a street vendor making a rose syrup drink in a visibly clean setup has stirred discussions around hygiene in Indian street food.
The video has renewed talks on street food hygiene in India. (Photo Credits: X)
A viral video, being called the “cleanest Indian street food,” has created a buzz online. It has already gained over 9 million views on X (formerly Twitter). The clip shows a street vendor from Kochi, Kerala, preparing a vibrant rose-flavoured drink with surprising cleanliness and flair.
The video opens with the vendor adding rose syrup to a glass, followed by soda water and a scoop of strawberry ice cream. Then, he pours in some milk, which turns the drink frothy and gives it a rich pink colour.
Next, he drops a few ice cubes into the glass and seals it with a shaker lid. He shakes the drink well and then, in a dramatic twist, tosses the glass into the air and catches it, showing off a bit of flair in his serving style.
The drink is then handed over, topped with foam, and ready to enjoy with a straw.
The video has gained millions of views on social media for its cleanliness and entertaining preparation. While many praised the vendor’s setup, others questioned the hygiene due to the use of bare hands.
Despite the mixed reactions, the drink and the video have captured wide attention online.
The video was originally posted by the Instagram page Street Food Journey on June 15 and has already crossed 31.9 million views there. It identifies the stall as “Kuluki,” a well-known name in Kerala for flavoured sarbath and milk drinks.
While the stall and preparation looked noticeably clean — with a stainless steel counter and minimal visible mess — reactions on social media were divided.
Many quickly pointed out what they felt was poor hygiene.
“‘Cleanest’ … video starts with an Indian dude’s hand IN THE GLASS?” one user scoffed.
Another sarcastically noted, “The refusal to wear gloves, at a minimum, is impressive.”
Some went as far as questioning the concept itself: “Is there such a thing as clean Indian street food?”
Another comment read, “Foreigners are coming to India and eating from the most unhygienic and rotten places where even locals don’t eat.”
A user even called on the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to intervene: “Stop all such nonsense wherever ingestible food is concerned.”
“The world has shamed us enough to reverse the perception and make Indian street food (& restaurants) the most hygienic in the world!” another added.
There was even debate about the video’s origin. While some claimed it was from Pakistan, many pointed out, correctly, that the setup is from Kochi, Kerala.
Despite the mixed reactions, the video’s widespread popularity has reignited conversations about hygiene standards in Indian street food culture — and whether visual cleanliness is enough to change deeply rooted public perceptions.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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