A viral video from a Karnataka restaurant has sparked a heated debate about hygiene preferences, food safety practices and cultural differences. The clip shows a server shaping and serving ragi mudde (like a ball made with ragi) with his bare hands. It drew strong reactions, with viewers debating whether the practice was unhygienic or simply part of a long-standing food tradition. What might have otherwise passed as a routine scene inside a local restaurant suddenly became a part of a wider argument about how food should be handled in the contemporary world.
At the centre of the debate is ragi mudde itself, a staple in many South Indian homes where it is almost always prepared and shaped by hand. For many diners, this tactile process is inseparable from the dish and its texture. Others, however, viewed the clip through the lens of restaurant norms and visible hygiene protocols.
What The Viral Video Shows And How People Reacted Online
The viral video shows a server at a restaurant holding a large portion of ragi mudde on a platter. Using his bare hands, he deftly scoops out a small quantity and quickly transfers the ball-like shape to the plate of a customer. He rotates the portion on his platter (probably to avoid it setting/sticking) before he repeats the action for other waiting customers.
Sharing the clip, one X user wrote, "Somebody saw a ragi ball being served in a way they are not exposed to, and casually called it unhygienic. Five seconds of video shouldn't turn one into a self-appointed expert. This is a food that has nourished generations, built strong bodies, powered farmers, and working families, and that's how it has been served for centuries."
However, many other people online disagreed with him. They raised hygiene concerns and felt that the dish should be handled with gloves in a commercial setting, like a restaurant (not a home). Read some of the reactions below:
Is Wearing Gloves A Foolproof Way Of Maintaining Hygiene?
Gloves are often seen as a quick fix for food hygiene, but many experts and regulators agree they are not a foolproof solution on their own. They point out that gloves can create a false sense of cleanliness. If they are not changed frequently, they can carry bacteria just like bare hands. Touching money, phones, raw ingredients, door handles, or even adjusting hair and masks with gloved hands can contaminate food just as easily. In some cases, improper glove use is considered riskier than clean, well-washed hands if the gloves are not clean.
Most food safety regulations, including those followed in India, do not mandate gloves at all times. Instead, they emphasise:
- Proper and frequent handwashing
- Clean nails and no open cuts
- Use of gloves or utensils when handling ready-to-eat food, especially if there is a risk of direct hand contact
Regulators and health bodies also stress that gloves must be single-use and task-specific, and changed regularly, especially after handling raw food, touching non-food surfaces, or switching jobs. Gloves can help, but only when used correctly and alongside strict hand hygiene.
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Gloves Vs Bare Hands: Differences In Perception
Even if food safety experts argue that clean hands can be as safe as gloves in certain situations, it remains difficult for many people in India to be comfortable with bare hands touching food. This discomfort is shaped as much by perception as by practice. Over the years, repeated reports of poor hygiene, contaminated street food, and inconsistent enforcement of safety norms have eroded public trust. This has made visible barriers like gloves feel reassuring, even when they are not always used correctly.
Cultural ideas around cleanliness also play a role: while hand-eating is deeply rooted in Indian food traditions, those same hands are expected to be freshly washed and visibly clean. In a restaurant or public setting, where diners cannot see handwashing or hygiene routines behind the scenes, bare-hand contact can trigger doubt and unease. Gloves, hairnets, and other visible signals of hygiene, therefore, help consumers feel protected in a food environment where transparency is often limited.
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It is important to note that food safety regulations mandate the use of gloves in specific situations, but not in all. It also needs to be complemented by compliance with other hygiene-related rules in order to be truly effective at preventing contamination.