Bhubaneswar: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all food business operators across the country to immediately discontinue the use of newspapers for packing, wrapping, or serving food, citing significant health and safety concerns.
In a fresh advisory, the food safety regulator warned that newspapers are not suitable for direct contact with food due to the potential presence of harmful chemicals in printing inks. According to FSSAI, newspaper inks may contain substances such as lead, heavy metals, mineral oils, and other toxic compounds that can migrate into food and pose health risks to consumers.
The authority also highlighted that newspapers are often exposed to dust, dirt, moisture, and other unhygienic conditions during handling, storage, and distribution, increasing the risk of contamination.
FSSAI reiterated that the use of newspapers for food storage, wrapping, packaging, or serving is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. The regulations require food business operators to use only approved food-grade packaging materials that do not adversely affect the quality, safety, or suitability of food.
The regulator has instructed restaurants, street food vendors, catering services, food delivery operators, and other businesses involved in food handling to strictly comply with the regulations. Officials emphasized that ensuring safe packaging practices is a crucial component of protecting public health and maintaining food safety standards.
Food safety experts have welcomed the move, noting that the practice of wrapping snacks, fried foods, and takeaway items in newspapers remains common in several parts of the country despite repeated advisories against it.
FSSAI urged consumers and food businesses alike to support the transition to certified food-grade packaging materials, stressing that safe packaging is essential for preventing contamination and safeguarding consumer health.
-OdishaAge
