Mysore/Mysuru: Despite stringent laws framed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the age-old practice of packing takeaway food in used newspapers persists, posing severe health risks to consumers. Vendors across hotels, bakeries and roadside fast-food joints continue to defy these regulations, ignoring the potential dangers associated with this practice.

The harmful chemicals and inks used in printing newspapers can mix with food products, potentially leading to cancer and other life-threatening diseases. This issue is especially alarming considering the rising number of cancer cases in India.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, India reported 14.1 lakh new cancer cases, with 9.1 lakh fatalities. The consumption of food products contaminated with harmful chemicals is cited as one of the significant contributors to these statistics.

Consumers remain largely unaware of the harmful substances they may be ingesting. Cakes and other bakery and fried items, often packed in newspapers, absorb the inks and chemicals used in the printing process. These products, with high sugar content, are particularly susceptible to contamination from various coloured inks, including black and lead-based ones.

At food joints, newspapers are routinely used to pack items like ‘bajji’, ‘bonda’ and ‘samosa’, as well as traditional dishes like ‘idli’, ‘dosa’, and ‘baath’. While some vendors use plastic sheets and banana leaves to pack food, these measures are insufficient to prevent the harmful effects of newspaper ink.

Healthier alternatives, such as butter papers costing between Rs. 15 to Rs. 20, are recommended for food packaging. However, many in the food industry prefer newspapers to cut costs, despite the associated health risks.

Raising public awareness is crucial to curbing this unhealthy practice. Consumers must be informed about the dangers of food products wrapped in newspapers and encouraged to refuse such packaging.

FSSAI officials are actively addressing the issue. Dr. S.L. Ravindra, Designated Officer Mysuru city, reported that eight food vendors were recently penalised for using newspapers for packing food, with fines ranging from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 15,000.

“Commercial establishments have been warned against using newspapers for packing food products. If they continue this blatant disregard for safety, strict actions and fines will be imposed,” he stated emphasising that hoteliers and bakers are among the top offenders.

The FSSAI’s crackdown highlights the need for strict enforcement and compliance to safeguard public health. Both vendors and consumers must take this issue seriously to prevent the widespread consumption of chemically contaminated food products.