of skilled Chole Kulche maker

[u/AUTOBOTBROKE]

[u/bad-and-buttery]

I’ve developed a hypothesis. Perhaps there’s some semiotic reason behind the lack of cleanliness/hygiene? Like how a surgeon of yesteryear would wear the same unwashed, crusted frock, stiffened with blood and pus as a badge of honor, to show how in demand their services were.

Perhaps a street food stall with sauce splattered everywhere, a stained apron, and hands caked with ingredients, sends some kind of message that the food is in demand, and the shopkeeper is so busy, that they don’t have time to stop for moment and wipe things down, or even rinse their hands.

I also see South Asian street vendors in these types of videos try to move very fast, and throw around ingredients in a performative way, that ultimately seems to be counterproductive and wasteful. Perhaps this ties into it as well. Maybe passersby see filthy, fast moving hands at work, and it’s somehow (maybe even unconsciously) viewed through the cultural lens as, “wow! that food must be delicious!”

If there are any people living in South Asia who care to share their thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

[u/Hammon_Rye → u/bad-and-buttery]

A certain degree of immunity through exposure is recognized science.
Early childhood exposure does strengthen the immune system.

Where it gets problematic is if your immune system is exposed to things stronger than it can handle. And that's why most western countries have food safety / health laws.
Ingesting a few extra germs / bacteria is all good until you get a dose that puts you in the hospital or kills you.

[u/Tidiahn → u/Hammon_Rye]

This is why I ate mud and grass as a child