The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued strict warning to Mumbai vendors and restaurants against using harmful materials for storing and serving food.
Published: June 6, 2026, 5:46 PM IST
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Newspapers will no longre be used to wrap food. Representational image
If you are a Mumbaikar, chances are that at least one of your meals is a spicy vada pav or misal pav. Well, if that’s the case, then pay attention to the material in which you receive the food. Food watchdog Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all food business operators to immediately stop using newspapers for packing, wrapping, and serving food items, warning that the practice poses serious health risks to consumers.
The move comes after officials noticed a recent case in Mumbai involving a vada pav vendor allegedly serving food wrapped in a newspaper. In response, FSSAI’s Western Region and BMC teams conducted a joint inspection and began action against those responsible.
FSSAI said the move is aimed at preventing similar practices across cities and towns in the region and ensuring that food is handled and served safely.
What is the reason for the ban?
FSSAI said newspaper ink is made up of various chemicals, including pigments, binders and colourants, which can be harmful if they come into contact with food. It also noted that printing inks may contain heavy metals like lead that can leach into food and pose serious long-term health risks. Moreover, newspapers are frequently exposed to dust and unsanitary conditions during printing and distribution, increasing the risk of contamination.
According to the regulator, newspapers are not allowed to store, wrap, or serving food under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. It added that similar advisories have been issued earlier as well. In addition to chemical contamination, newspapers often come into contact with dust, dirt and unsanitary conditions during printing and circulation. As a result, they can carry disease-causing microbes that may contaminate food and lead to food-borne diseases.
FSSAI has made it clear that newspapers are not to be used even for absorbing oil from fried snacks like samosas, pakoras and vada pav, or for covering or storing ready-to-eat food.
What should be used in its place?
The authority has asked food vendors and businesses to stick to approved food-safe packaging materials. At the same time, it has urged consumers to remain vigilant and avoid food that comes in newspaper wrapping.
The regulator said it is working with state authorities to strengthen enforcement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, while also promoting safer and more sustainable packaging practices across the food and beverage sector.
