From plush restaurants to modest roadside stalls, the use of artificial tasting powders to enhance the flavour of food has become a rampant practice across Kashmir. Despite repeated concerns about its health impact, no meaningful checks are being carried out, leaving consumers exposed to unsafe food habits. Tasting powders, particularly monosodium glutamate (MSG), are commonly used to boost the flavour of soups, gravies, fried snacks and even street-side dishes sold by masala vendors. Though small amounts of MSG are considered safe by global food regulators, doctors caution that excessive or routine consumption can trigger health issues, especially among people suffering from hypertension, kidney problems, or heart-related ailments. “Restaurants and even small vendors are liberally usi...

Murtaza Bilal With a warm smile on his face, these were the words with which Farooq Uncle always welcomed me whenever I went to his shop. Though that interview of mine had countless flaws, it was his favourite, and he never missed a chance to remind me of it. He was a man of routine. Each morning after fajr prayers, he would open his shop, sweep and clean, then sprinkle water on the road — not just in front of his own shop, but around the neighbouring ones too. Small acts of care that reflected his big heart. Most mornings, as I left for college, I would stop by his shop to buy chewing gums, Lays, chocolates, or something small to eat. He always had something to say — jokes, prayers, or little orders. The most recent one I remember was just a few weeks ago, when he asked me to fet...