In July 2026, in India and many other countries, we have seen roadside stalls and hawkers selling and packaging food items in newspapers. It has been accounted as an eco-friendly, convenient, and economical option for hawkers to sell various food items or to absorb oil from the oily ones. But packaging industry experts have also stated that newspaper is not a food-grade packaging option. The practice can expose humans to harmful chemicals and contaminants that do not have any food safety precautions. Also, the health authorities and scientific studies have proved that using newspapers to wrap, store, or absorb oil from food when it is hot or moist can pose various health hazards.
One of the major reasons to avoid newspapers is their ink. The ink contains a mixture of pigments, solvents, resins, and other chemical compounds, unlike food-safe packaging materials. Some of these substances can migrate from the paper onto food, especially when exposed to heat or oil. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), newspapers should never be used for packaging, storing, or serving food because of the harmful ink consisting of bioactive materials, which contaminates food and poses potential health hazards.
Such experts and agencies have also warned that even a small amount of these chemicals can accumulate in the body over time with repeated exposure. According to research published in Food Additives and Contaminants, chemicals from printing inks can migrate into food under certain conditions, with fatty foods being vulnerable because they readily absorb these compounds.
Newspaper ink is not designed to be in contact with food items. It may contain substances such as mineral oils, pigments, plasticisers, and other industrial chemicals, based on the type of newspaper ink and printing process. One of the chemicals grabbing major attention as the most harmful option is mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs). It includes Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH), which can migrate into food from recycled paper and printing inks.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated that MOSH can accumulate in human tissues, while some MOAH compounds are considered potentially carcinogenic and genotoxic, meaning they may damage DNA. The scientists are still researching the long-term effects of such inks, and the findings have prompted stricter monitoring of food packaging across Europe. The various studies published in journals available through ScienceDirect have also reported that recycled paper packaging can transfer mineral oil residues into food, particularly dry and fatty products stored for extended periods.
The issue worsens when newspapers are used to pack food that is hot, moist, or oily. Various hot food options sold by hawkers across the street contain oil that can act as a solvent, helping chemicals from the newspaper ink migrate more easily into the food. Moisture from curries or steamed foods can have a similar effect.
Researchers have also found that higher temperatures accelerate the migration of chemicals from packaging materials into food. Hence, food-grade packaging undergoes rigorous safety testing before it is approved for use.
Apart from the newspaper ink, it also contains various other contaminants and harmful chemicals caught by the paper during the printing, storage, transport, and handling stages. The procedure of printing newspapers goes through multiple stages before reaching the consumers. During this journey, the sheets might be exposed to dust, dirt, bacteria, fungi, and even environmental pollutants. They are also handled by numerous people, increasing the chances of microbial contamination.
A review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health highlights that contaminated food-contact materials can contribute to foodborne exposure to harmful microorganisms if proper hygiene standards are not maintained.
Food safety experts recommend that only food-grade materials that are specifically manufactured for direct contact with food should be used for food packaging. Mentioned below are a few safe food-grade packaging options that can be used as a swap for newspapers:
Consuming foods packed in a newspaper once in a while is unlikely to cause any health issues, but repeated exposure to the newspaper ink for over months or years can cause health hazards. With affordable food-safe packaging options now widely available, making a simple switch can help to reduce exposure to such harmful chemicals and protect health in the long run.
24 August 2026
24 August 2026
24 August 2026
24 August 2026