BLOWTORCHES used to give naan bread its traditional blackened coating are to be banned from Scotland’s Asian restaurants on health grounds. In a new safety 
crackdown, environmental health officers are disconnecting the traditional equipment after fears that staff and customers are being put at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning and the threat of gas explosions. But many restaurant owners say the blowtorches pose no greater risk than conventional methods. And they claim banning them is an over-reaction which would spoil the quality of naan they served up. Sarfaraz Rathore, owner of the King’s Balti in Buccleuch Street, said he had never heard of an accident with the torches after 20 years in the business, adding he was one of the first restaurants visited by environmental health officers, who disconnected his blow- torch and confiscated it. A spokeswoman for the city council’s environmental health department said: “These blowtorches are not very safe and restaurants are not allowed to use them unless they have a proper certificate.” The Scotsman 13/10/03.
crackdown, environmental health officers are disconnecting the traditional equipment after fears that staff and customers are being put at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning and the threat of gas explosions. But many restaurant owners say the blowtorches pose no greater risk than conventional methods. And they claim banning them is an over-reaction which would spoil the quality of naan they served up. Sarfaraz Rathore, owner of the King’s Balti in Buccleuch Street, said he had never heard of an accident with the torches after 20 years in the business, adding he was one of the first restaurants visited by environmental health officers, who disconnected his blow- torch and confiscated it. A spokeswoman for the city council’s environmental health department said: “These blowtorches are not very safe and restaurants are not allowed to use them unless they have a proper certificate.” The Scotsman 13/10/03.
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