It’s quite common in India for street food vendors to serve hot pakoras wrapped in newspapers or roasted peanuts in newspaper cones by the beaches. Foodies, have time and again enjoyed the rustic manner of gorging on dry snacks from cups, cones and wrappers made from old newspapers. But did you know serving food in newspapers can have harmful effects on our health? Bhopal street food vendors have been banned from using newspapers to serve food. Read on to know more.
Bhopal Vendors Banned From Serving Food On Newspapers
Bhopal Collector Avinash Lavania on September 5 launched the ‘Eat Right Challenge-2’ program. Under this programme he introduced ‘Akhbar mein khane ko boliye na’ campaign ( Say no to eating on newspapers). As per the guidelines of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), Bhopal street food vendors are now banned from serving food or snacks in newspapers. So, this means you will not be gorging on samosas, pakoras or peanuts from newspapers.
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Why Should Food Not Be Served On Newspapers?
Street food vendors and shopkeepers who violate this rule will have to pay a fine of a whopping ₹2 lakhs. Eating on newspapers has severely harmful to one’s health. This is because the ink used for printing newspapers contains dangerous chemicals like lead. When this ink mixes with oil or food, the chemicals react and pose serious health hazards. It also houses harmful microorganisms. So, the next time you’re served snacks on newspapers, perhaps you should say no.
