New Delhi: The Western Region of ‘Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’ (FSSAI), the apex body that ensures the safety of food items in the country, has issued a very important and strict advisory for all Food Business Operators. FSSAI has directed all street food vendors, restaurants and small shopkeepers to stop using newspapers for packing, wrapping or serving food items with immediate effect. The regulatory body has warned that this old habit of serving or wrapping food in newspapers is posing a very serious and life-threatening risk to the health of consumers. This strict instruction has been issued after a recent incident in Mumbai.
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Decision taken after action against Mumbai’s famous Vada Pav vendor
According to the information received, this latest advisory comes after an enforcement action taken in Mumbai, where a very famous and popular vada pav vendor was found serving food to customers in newspaper. As soon as information about this violation was received, a joint team of FSSAI Western Region officials and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (MCGM) took strict legal and administrative action against the vendor.
The regulator has clarified that the main objective of this action is to completely stop this harmful practice in cities and towns across the region and to ensure that food items are handled and served in a safe and hygienic manner.
Why is the use of newspapers considered unsafe for health?
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The food regulator (FSSAI) has explained the scientific and technical reasons that newspapers are completely unsuitable for direct contact with food. The main reason for this is the printing ink used in newspaper printing, which contains large amounts of various types of chemicals, pigments, binders and heavy metals like harmful lead.
When extremely hot, spicy or oily items like samosa, vada pav or bhajiya are wrapped in newspaper, these toxic chemicals and lead quickly melt and become part of the food. FSSAI has cautioned that prolonged exposure to such contaminants can cause serious and chronic health problems within the human body.
Apart from chemicals, there is also a big danger of bacteria and dirt.
There is not only a risk of transfer of chemicals from newspapers, but there is also a risk of biological infection due to them. After printing, newspapers are continuously exposed to dust, soil and unhealthy human hands during transportation, distribution and delivery by hawkers to the general public.
Due to this, dangerous disease-causing microorganisms and bacteria accumulate on the surface of the newspapers. When such newspapers are used to store food items or absorb excess oil, those bacteria directly contaminate the food, increasing the risk of ‘food-borne illnesses’ and stomach infections manifold.
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This practice is already banned under Packaging Rules 2018
FSSAI has reminded all businesses that this is not a new rule, but a clear and complete statutory ban on using newspapers or other similar printed materials for storing, packing or distributing food under the ‘Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018’.
This directive applies equally to all types of businesses involved in the food and drink sector, including:
Street food vendors, mobile vendors, hawkers and small retailers.
Restaurants, Dhabas, Cloud Kitchens, Caterers and Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs).
Hotels and temporary food stalls
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The authority has said in a strict tone that newspaper should not be used at any stage of preparing or handling food. This also includes common habits like absorbing excess oil from cooked food, laying newspaper under utensils or containers, or covering raw ingredients.
Appeal to consumers to remain cautious; Preparation for strict legal action
FSSAI has urged all food businesses in the country to adopt approved ‘food-grade’ packaging materials and fully comply with the regulations with immediate effect. Along with this, general consumers and public have also been advised to be cautious about their health and if any shopkeeper or street vendor packs or serves food in newspaper, then completely avoid buying food items from there.
The central regulator is currently going to further strengthen enforcement and surprise inspection actions under the ‘Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006’ in collaboration with Food Safety Commissioners and local bodies of all the states in the country, so as to promote safe, hygienic and environment-friendly packaging practices in the market.
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