The Department of Food Safety has issued an order prohibiting storage, distribution and sale of food articles packed in newspapers as it poses serious health threats. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had already banned the use of newspapers for wrapping food items.
In a statement, G.L. Upadhyaya, Deputy Food Safety Commissioner said that foods contaminated by newspaper ink raise serious health concerns since the ink contains multiple bioactive materials with known negative health effects.
Pathogenic organisms
Printing ink may also contain harmful colours, pigments, binders, additive and preservatives. Besides chemical contaminants, pathogenic micro organisms in used newspapers pose potential risk to human health.
According to Mr. Upadhyaya, newspapers and even paper/cardboard boxes made of recycled paper may be contaminated with metallic contaminants, mineral oils and harmful chemicals like phthalates which can cause digestive problems and also lead to severe toxicity.
Older people, teenagers, children and people with compromised vital organs and immune systems are at a greater risk of acquiring cancer-related health complications, if they are exposed to food packed in such material.
In view of the above harmful effects, newspapers should not be used to wrap, cover and serve food or to absorb excess oil from fried food. The Food Business Operators (FBOs) are requested not to use newspapers as food packaging material. Instead, they can use alternative packaging materials such as plantain leaves.
