Hidden Hazards Of Newspaper-wrapped Food

Public awareness of food safety has increased over the years, and food habits are changing for the better. Choices driven by hygiene, quality, and food safety are the new normal for a section of health-conscious people; however, a large mass is still unaware of the range of health hazards that lurk around our prevailing food practices. Consuming food that is wrapped in newspaper is one such issue that was considered business as usual until recent times. The practice is rampant in both urban and rural settings, mostly in roadside eateries and traditional sweetshops. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control of the Government of Nepal has taken the initiative to initiate public sensitization efforts on this issue. The impact on health is immense and less known to most food vendors and consumers. Hence, there is an imperative need to enhance awareness on this issue and curb this malpractice.

Use of newspapers

Newspapers are one of the oldest and most common wrapping materials for street foods. Come the festive season, and the sight of locals thronging roadside food stalls in alleyways and major junctions relishing fast foods adds to the fervor. From piping hot Pakodas, Samosas, and Kachauri to spicy savoury Chatpate, Jhalmuri, and Aloo-nimki, most of these local delicacies can be seen being served in paper wrappers, most often in newspapers and school note books. The practice is not uncommon, even in the capital city, Kathmandu. To this day, many traditional sweet shops in Kathmandu sell hot sweet delicacies like Gwaramari, Selroti, Malpuwa, and Jeri-Swari wrapped in newspapers. This is even more evident during festivals like the upcoming Tihar festival, when the demand for sweet delicacies soars, as sweets are a quintessential part of cultural celebrations amongst Nepalese.

Health hazards

Street food culture brings in a vibrant, congenial environment for local businesses and has an important role in preserving food heritage. However, it is equally important to maintain its appeal in changing times. Adopting hygienic practices and ensuring food safety while handling food is imperative. Street foods are mostly popular among teenagers and children. Any risk arising therefrom, specifically the potential risk from the ink in the newspaper, can have a detrimental impact in the growing-up years.

Additionally, the cumulative buildup of dust and contamination in newspapers is another factor that makes it an unacceptable food wrapping medium. The newspaper would have traversed miles on vehicles or in cycles before ending up being thrown at the doorsteps or balconies of subscribers. Within homes, it would have circulated around study areas, living and dining rooms, or even in toilets, depending on the reading habits of people. Hence, handling by multiple people within homes or even in offices is very obvious. The journey ahead could halt in a temporary storage area before it is sold off in bulk to a vendor. Small food hawkers purchase such papers in bulk to be used as wrapping material for food.

Scientific research globally has inferred the detrimental impacts of printing ink on human health, specifically the potential for lead toxicity. These chemicals, if leached into the food, can render it unsafe. Newspaper ink is known to contain chemical extracts and organic solvents like di-isobutyl phthalate, ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dibutyl phthalate, and propanol. It also contains heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, and chromium. Research has linked the activation of Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) proteins in mammals to extracts from printed newspapers using DMSO, ethanol, and water. This is known to trigger toxicological effects, giving way to neurotoxicity, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, weak bones, liver damage, and lung damage.

Additionally, the buildup of physical and microbial contamination in a newspaper makes food unfit for consumption. Most newspapers are made from recycled paper and cannot be effectively cleaned or sterilised for use in food. The ingress of dust and traces of paper pulp into the food are potential food hazards. The impact of hazards is even higher in the case of hot foods, as the migration of chemicals is accelerated here.

Safe alternatives

The Food Act, 1967, “An Act made to maintain purity in foodstuffs,” is the custodian of safe food in Nepal. Section 3 of this Act outlines a “prohibition on the production, sale, or distribution of adulterated foodstuffs or substandard foodstuffs." In early May 2023, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control of the Government of Nepal informed the public about its preparation for banning the use of newspapers for serving and wrapping food. The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) issued guidelines on December 6, 2016, prohibiting food vendors from using newspapers to wrap food.

While stringent implementation is required to bring about a positive change, there is a need to establish safe, sustainable, and affordable packing material alternatives. Grease-proof papers are a safe alternative for wrapping foods. Foil-lined paper plates and leaf-based plates are substituting plastic plates. This reflects society’s growing consciousness towards food safety and environmental conservation.

The tradition of serving food on leaf plates, commonly known as Lapte, has held great cultural significance in the Newar tradition since ancient times. Public interest in these sustainable alternatives is slowly reviving. Interestingly, many startups manufacturing bio-degradable multipurpose leaf plate businesses are gaining ground in Nepal, and many of the branded restaurant chains are already serving some food items on machine-made leaf plates.

In cases where a printed wrapper is to be used as the primary packaging material, only food-grade ink, which is devoid of any hazardous chemicals, should be used. Similarly, only permissible food additives should be used, and applicable regulations need to be complied with stringently.

 Way forward

Newspapers have habitually been used as a cheap substitute for wrapping material in roadside eateries across Nepal. Working-class people, teens, and children delve into street food snacks for the sheer joy of eating with friends, convenience, and affordability. However, with scientific studies validating the health impacts of commercial inks used in newspapers, precautionary measures need to be accelerated. Food wrapping materials should be assessed for food safety, just as the quality of the food product should be scrutinized. Any use of chemicals on the food contact surface of wrappers needs to be verified to ensure food safety.

Regulatory authorities, local governments, members of the consumer forum, and all concerned stakeholders should ramp up to spread awareness about potential adverse impacts. Equally important is ensuring that the message has percolated to every citizen in the country. Stringent implementation of regulatory advisories is pivotal here. Emerging small businesses that produce safer and more sustainable alternative wrapping materials should be supported. This, together with a proactive approach on the part of both vendors and consumers, would help ensure food safety. It is high time the use of newspapers for wrapping food was abolished. As Nepal prepares to graduate as a developing nation by 2026, the timely redress of every identified malpractice would reflect our commitment to ensuring public health at large.

(The author is a food technologist.)