A Mumbai vadapav incident sparked a nationwide reminder — the food safety regulator says newspaper ink contains heavy metals that leach into food, and the practice remains strictly illegal under the 2018 packaging regulations.
Using newspapers to wrap food is illegal in India — and FSSAI is cracking down, again.
Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has once again issued a firm advisory asking food vendors, hawkers, restaurants, and cloud kitchens across the country to immediately stop using newspapers or any printed materials for serving, wrapping, or packaging food items. The directive, which reinforces an existing legal prohibition under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, comes after a recent incident in Mumbai where a popular vadapav vendor was caught using newspapers to pack and serve food to customers.
The incident prompted a joint crackdown by FSSAI’s West Region office and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), who took swift action against the vendor and issued directions to discourage similar practices across the city. Given the widespread prevalence of this habit — particularly among street food sellers — the regulator decided to issue a national reiteration of the ban, reaching all categories of food businesses.
Why is the Newspaper Dangerous for Food Contact
The casual use of newspapers to wrap samosas, pakoras, fried snacks, and street food like pav bhaji or vada pav may feel like a harmless, everyday practice rooted in decades of tradition. But FSSAI’s advisory makes clear the science is alarming. Printing inks used in the production of newspapers are laden with a cocktail of chemicals — including pigments, binders, and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium — that can migrate directly into food, especially when the food is hot, oily, or moist.
“Printing inks used in newspapers contain harmful chemicals, pigments, binders and heavy metals, including lead, which can leach into food items, leading to serious chronic health issues.”
— FSSAI Official Statement, June 2026
The risk is compounded by how newspapers travel before they reach food stalls. During printing, distribution, handling, and storage, newspapers are routinely exposed to unhygienic environments — loading docks, vehicle floors, and open-air kiosks — making them potential carriers of bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens capable of triggering serious foodborne illnesses in consumers.
Toxic Heavy Metals
Lead, cadmium and chromium in printer ink leach into food on contact, especially when hot or oily items are involved.
Pathogen Contamination
Newspapers handled in unsanitary conditions during distribution can carry bacteria and fungi causing foodborne illness.
Chemical Migration
Ink binders and pigments chemically migrate into food through direct contact, with heat accelerating the process.
Chronic Health Risks
Repeated exposure to these contaminants over time can cause neurological damage, kidney failure, and other serious disorders.
A Nationwide Advisory, Not Just Mumbai
While the immediate trigger was the Mumbai vadapav case, FSSAI has made it clear that this advisory is not confined to a single city or region. The regulator has instructed food safety authorities across all states to ramp up surveillance and enforcement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Both licensed food businesses and unregistered street vendors fall under its purview, and violations can attract penalties and cancellation of food business licences.
The Advisory Applies to All of the Following Food Businesses:
- Street Vendors & Hawkers
- Restaurants & Dhabas
- Cloud Kitchens
- Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs)
- Caterers & Banquet Halls
- Mobile Food Vendors
- Tiffin Services
- Sweet Shops & Bakeries
FSSAI has urged all food business operators to use only safe, food-grade packaging materials that comply with its approved standards. Eco-friendly alternatives such as bagasse (sugarcane pulp) containers, areca leaf plates, kraft paper bags, and food-grade biodegradable wraps are recommended as suitable replacements that also align with India’s broader push to reduce single-use plastic.
The Legal Framework: FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018
Applicable Law
Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018
Enacted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these regulations explicitly prohibit the use of newspapers, recycled plastic, non-food-grade materials, and any printed surfaces in direct contact with food. Non-compliance constitutes a violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and is liable for prosecution, fines, and suspension or cancellation of food business registration or licence.
This is not the first time FSSAI has had to reiterate this particular rule. The practice of using newspapers for food packaging is deeply embedded in India’s street food culture, with vendors often citing convenience and zero cost as the primary motivations. However, the regulator’s repeated advisories signal that enforcement is tightening — particularly as food safety surveillance through social media videos has made violations increasingly difficult to ignore.
Consumers Must Also Stay Alert
Beyond holding vendors accountable, FSSAI has placed the onus on consumers as well. The advisory explicitly urges the public to remain vigilant and refuse food that is served or wrapped in newspapers. Consumer behaviour, the regulator argues, is a powerful enforcement tool — if customers decline such packaging, vendors will have little choice but to comply.
FSSAI is also actively working with the broader food and beverage industry to encourage the adoption of safe, sustainable packaging solutions, reinforcing the government’s dual commitment to food safety and environmental responsibility. The regulator has been simultaneously evaluating proposed amendments to the 2018 packaging regulations to ban the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and bisphenol A (BPA) from food contact materials — signalling that packaging safety is a major and evolving regulatory frontier in India.
What You Should Do
If you are a food vendor or food business operator, replace newspapers immediately with food-grade packaging certified by FSSAI. If you are a consumer, politely refuse food wrapped in newspapers and report non-compliant vendors to your state food safety authority or via the FSSAI Food Safety Connect app. When in doubt, the rule is simple — if it’s not food-grade, it should not touch your food.
