Author, Sheikh Ansari
Designation, BBC correspondent
Published 3 minutes ago
Reading Time: 6 minutes
In many cities, samosa is often served on a piece of newspaper.
Many shopkeepers also wrap samosas and other fried items in newspapers or printed leaflets and give them as parcels.
Actually, such food items are usually served in plates or things made of leaves. This was the process for parcels, but there has been a big change in it in the last few years.
Now newspapers are being used in large quantities to serve samosas, pakodas and similar fried items, and parcels have started being packed in plastic bags.
Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued important instructions for street food vendors, hotels and other businessmen selling food items.
What warning did FSSAI give?
FSSAI has said that wrapping food items like samosas, bonda and bhajiya in newspapers or other printed papers or serving them on these papers can be harmful for health.
According to FSSAI, the ink used for printing on paper may contain chemicals like lead.
When hot samosa or other food item is kept on this paper, these substances can get mixed in the food. In this way, they can reach the stomach with food and become the cause of diseases.
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For more information about this, BBC spoke to health experts.
Recently FSSAI found a street vendor in Mumbai giving food wrapped in newspaper.
Guidelines in this regard already exist. Despite this, FSSAI has once again ordered that food should not be served in newspapers.
According to FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards i.e. Packaging Rules, 2018, the use of newspaper or any other such material for storing or serving food is prohibited.
For what purposes should newspaper not be used?
1- To absorb excess oil from food.
2- To cover food items or ingredients used in cooking.
3- To serve food.
4- To pack food.
What do doctors say?
BBC spoke to Dr. Shyam Prasad of Kurnool Medical College about the dangers of eating hot samosas or other food items by keeping them on newspaper. Dr. Shyam Prasad is a sonologist.
He told what can happen if the ink used in printing enters the body, what kind of health problems it can cause and what effect it can have on the internal organs of the body.
Question: What can happen if the ink used in printing enters the body?
Answer: The ink used in printing contains a metal called lead. It can enter the body by mixing with food and cause damage to the liver.
By mixing in the blood, it can cause harm to other parts of the body as well. In some cases, there is a risk of brain damage due to this.
Question: Even at home, many women, after making chapati or puri, keep them on old newspaper. What effect can this have?
Answer: This habit affects children more than adults.
This can have a serious impact on the mental and physical development of children. The body parts of children are not fully developed. Therefore, its impact may be greater on them.
Question: What effect can it have on pregnant women?
Answer: Pregnant women should not eat food kept in printed paper at all. This can be very dangerous.
If these chemicals enter the body of a pregnant woman in the initial stages of child formation, there can be a risk of miscarriage, the child being born with mental disability or even giving birth to a dead child. Therefore, pregnant women should be more careful in this matter.
Advice on using only food-grade packaging
FSSAI has asked food businesses to use only safe and officially approved food-grade packaging materials for the sale and delivery of food.
FSSAI has also advised customers to be cautious in this matter.
It has also been made clear in the rules that the materials used for making paper, paper boxes, plates and cups used for storing food should be as per food-grade standards. This material should not contain elements that cause pollution or disease.
What risks can there be to health?
The ink used in printing newspapers contains binder, color, chemicals, mineral oil, hydrocarbons and heavy metals.
When hot samosa or other food items are kept on the newspaper, there is a possibility of the chemicals present in the ink getting mixed with the food due to the heat.
Experts say that by eating such food, these chemicals can reach the body and cause various health problems.
hygiene problem
Dr. Shyam Prasad says, 'Newspapers pass through the hands of many people and come from different places.'
'Because of this, there is a possibility of dust, bacteria and other dirt accumulating on them. People who eat food kept in it may fall ill.
Do you use newspaper at home also?
Some people also use newspaper at home to store and pack whole or other oily items. Even at home, one should not eat food or any fried food on newspaper. According to experts, it is better to serve samosa or other food items in stainless steel utensils, dry leaves or glass utensils.
Where to complain about selling food in the newspaper?
If any shopkeeper or businessman sells samosas or other food items in newspapers or printed pamphlets, then people can complain about it to the concerned authorities.
Food Safety Grievance Portal i.e. FoSCoS: foscos.fssai.gov.in/consumergrievance
Official website of FSSAI: www.fssai.gov.in
Toll-free helpline number: 1800-11-2100. This service is available 24 hours.
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