Watch: Viral video of rat in golgappa mixture sparks hygiene concerns

A viral video has triggered fresh concerns over street food hygiene after it allegedly showed a rat inside a golgappa mixture container at a roadside pani puri stall in Amritsar.

The clip captures the moment he and a friend noticed movement in a large bowl containing spiced water and masala while eating at the stall. The video shows the vendor trying to remove the rat from the mixture. The rodent, coated in masala, eventually jumps out of the container and runs into a nearby drain, leaving the customers stunned.

Here’s the viral video: 

However, the video does not clarify whether the animal had fallen into the container moments earlier or had been there for some time. The man who recorded the video claimed he asked the vendor to discard the contaminated mixture.

The footage garnered nearly lakhs of views, prompting strong reactions online. While several users expressed disgust and raised questions about hygiene standards at street food stalls, others speculated that the clip might have been staged or generated using artificial intelligence.

Some viewers pointed out that the cart appeared relatively clean, suggesting the rat may have entered the container shortly before being noticed. “The rest of the setup looked really clean. So what happened there?” one user wrote. Another commented that the rodent may have jumped in just then, adding that it was good the mixture was thrown away.

Others responded with sarcasm and humour, with one user remarking, “Indian street food hygiene in a nutshell,” and another joking, “Wow, Ratatouille.” A different commenter pleaded, “Please say it’s AI.”

The incident has once again brought attention to food safety compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for street vendors.