In a move that’s as clear as black and white, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sounded the alarm – consumers and food vendors must ditch newspapers for packing, serving, and storing food items. This directive, issued with urgency, illuminates the dark health hazards lurking beneath the seemingly innocuous ink.
G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, the CEO of FSSAI, minced no words when he pointed out the ink’s shadowy secrets. “The ink used in newspapers contains various bioactive materials with known negative health effects, which can contaminate food and lead to health issues when ingested,” he declared. Imagine your favourite street food marinating in a toxic brew of chemicals – a recipe for disaster.
It’s not just the ink’s grim secrets; printing inks themselves may harbour villains such as lead and heavy metals. Over time, they can stealthily seep into your food, posing a long-term health threat that could lead to a bitter ending. This isn’t a fictional plot; it’s a real and imminent danger.
However, the plot thickens further. Newspapers, those unwitting accomplices, endure harsh environmental conditions during distribution. They become the breeding grounds for bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens – a true thriller where the villains transfer to your food, turning your next meal into a suspenseful bout of food-borne illness.
To combat this menace, FSSAI has drawn a clear line in the sand with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, which unequivocally bans newspapers for storing, wrapping, or serving food. No more will they be allowed to mop up excess oil from fried delights. It’s time for the ink to fade away from our food supply.
G. Kamala Vardhana Rao has made an impassioned plea to all food vendors – embrace responsible packaging practices. It’s not just about wrapping food; it’s about wrapping safety around your customers. By discouraging newspapers as food packaging materials and championing safe alternatives, FSSAI reaffirms its commitment to protecting the nation’s food supply. It’s a fight for the safety of every plate and the health of every Indian.
FSSAI isn’t fighting this battle alone. They are collaborating closely with State food authorities, rallying support to prohibit the use of newspapers for food packaging and spreading awareness far and wide. It’s a united front against this ink-redible danger.
This is a call to action we must heed – banish newspapers from our food chain. The ink that once chronicled our stories should not become the author of our misfortune. Let us embrace safe packaging alternatives and ensure that the only headlines we see after a meal are ones of satisfaction, not sickness.
