Food must not be packed in newspapers

Hyderabad: Nutritionists back a warning given by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that food must not be packed in newspapers. Packing in or serving food on newspaper could be hazardous to health. The FSSAI has warned that eating such food could cause slow-poisoning because of cancer causing agents and microbes in newsprint and directed Commissioners of Food Safety in all states to launch awareness drives and discourage street vendors from packing cooked foods in newspapers.

On its website, the FSSAI has said, “Wrapping food in newspapers is an unhealthy practice. Consuming such food is injurious to health even if it has been cooked in a hygienic atmosphere.” Senior nutritionist Madhu Lata said, “Newspapers have printing inks and harmful colours, pigments, binders, additives and preservatives. These can have an effect on the body. It is harmful for a person to regularly consume food supplied in newspapers. Often, mirchi bhaji, samosa, idli, vada and other snacks are delivered in newspapers. Even if they are clean and healthy in preparation, the packaging makes them harmful.”

The presence of pathogenic micro-organisms is also a cause of concern since the newspapers go through various channels before reaching the vendor and hence poses a potential risk to human health. Another nutritionist, S Usha, said, “The increasing problems of the digestive track like indigestion, ill-effects on endocrine system and deficiency of vitamin B 12 are linked to presence of chemicals in the body. What foods we have and how we take it are important.