Wrapping Food In Newspaper Banned By The Safety Department

The Hindu reports that the Department of Food Safety has put a ban on the use of newspapers to wrap food for sale. The department has said that this practice is not safe for health.

Food Wrapped In Newspapers

The Deputy Food Safety Commissioner, G.L. Upadhyaya has said in a statement that the food when wrapped in the newspaper gets contaminated by the ink which contains bioactive materials. He said that this can raise serious health concerns in a statement to The Hindu. He further said that not only newspapers but also paper and cardboard boxes that are made using recycled paper can also have contaminating agents like metallic contaminants, mineral oils and harmful chemicals like phthalates. These he said can lead to digestive issues and toxicity.

The report by The Hindu said that the elderly, children and teenagers are prone to health complications if they consume food wrapped in newspapers and such other material. This is because they have compromised vital organs and hence their immune systems at a big risk. Owing to this, newspapers have been banned, first by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and now the Department of Food Safety. The Food Business Operators have thereby been requested not to use newspaper for food packaging and use alternative methods like plantain leaves.

In-article Image: food.ndtv.com