The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a fresh warning to food vendors across the country, urging them to stop using newspapers for wrapping, serving, or storing street food and other food items. The food safety regulator says the long-standing practice can expose consumers to harmful chemicals and contaminants, posing a threat to public health.
According to FSSAI, newspaper ink contains substances that can migrate into food, particularly hot, oily, and moist street foods. Popular snacks such as Masal chot ,Samosas, Pakoras, Nadru Monje, Bread Pakoras, Fried Fish, Kulchas, Bakery Products, and other Roadside delicacies are especially vulnerable when wrapped directly in newspapers.
Food safety experts warn that chemicals present in printing ink may include toxic compounds and heavy metals that are unsafe for human consumption. The risk increases when freshly cooked food comes into direct contact with newspaper surfaces.
Apart from chemical contamination, newspapers can also carry dust, dirt, bacteria, and other germs as they pass through multiple stages of printing, handling, transportation, and distribution. Direct contact between food and such surfaces can lead to contamination and increase the risk of food-borne illnesses.
The advisory is particularly relevant in Kashmir and other parts of the country where street food vendors commonly use newspapers to serve or pack snacks due to their low cost and easy availability. While the practice remains widespread, FSSAI has stressed that convenience should not come at the expense of consumer health.
The regulator has directed all food business operators, including street food vendors, restaurants, tea stalls, bakeries, and catering units, to use only approved food-grade packaging materials. Alternatives such as butter paper, food-grade paper bags, biodegradable containers, and certified packaging products have been recommended.
FSSAI has also appealed to consumers to be vigilant and avoid purchasing food wrapped directly in newspapers. The authority emphasized that safe packaging is an essential part of food hygiene and plays a crucial role in protecting public health.
With food safety awareness increasing nationwide, authorities are expected to strengthen inspections and enforcement measures to ensure compliance and discourage the use of newspapers for serving or packaging street food.
