16 June,2026 08:18 PM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
While Mumbaikars love the convenience of roadside snacking, the FDA warns that the ink used to print your daily news contains a cocktail of lethal chemicals, harmful dyes, lead, and heavy metals.
That piping hot vada pav or crispy samosa you grabbed from your local street vendor on the way to work might be packing a toxic punch. In a massive crackdown on a ubiquitous Mumbai habit, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has gone after food vendors using newspapers to wrap or serve eatables.
In an intensive 11-day special drive conducted across Mumbai from June 5 to June 16, the FDA inspected 55 food establishments. A staggering 26 eateries nearly 50 per cent of those inspected were caught red-handed using newspapers in direct contact with food.
The FDA has already settled 17 of these cases, slapping offenders with a total compounding fine of Rs 1.51 lakh, while action against the remaining nine is currently underway.
While Mumbaikars love the convenience of roadside snacking, the FDA warns that the ink used to print your daily news contains a cocktail of lethal chemicals, harmful dyes, lead, and heavy metals.
When hot, oily, or fried food is placed on a newspaper, these toxic chemical components instantly leach into the food.
"When oily food is wrapped in newspapers, the chemical components of the ink dissolve into the food, making it highly hazardous to human health. This can cause severe, long-term health complications," warned Joint Commissioner (Food) Mahesh Chaudhari.
It isn't just the ink. The FDA pointed out that newspapers undergo a lengthy chain of distribution and handling, exposing them to highly unhygienic conditions. By the time they reach a food stall, they are often heavily contaminated with disease-causing pathogens and bacteria.
Under the guidance of FDA Maharashtra Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe and Joint Commissioner Mahesh Chaudhari, Food Safety Officers and Assistant Commissioners combed through the city's food hubs to enforce the ban.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already strictly prohibited the use of newspapers for packing or serving food, but compliance on the ground has historically been weak.
The FDA has issued a stern warning to all food business operators in Mumbai to immediately stop using newspapers.
Joint Commissioner Chaudhari told mid-day.com that this is not a one-off campaign.
"Such inspection drives will be carried out regularly. Strict action will be taken against anyone found violating food safety rules," he warned.
Until the vendors clean up their act, you might want to think twice before taking a bite of that "inked" vada pav.
11 days: Duration of the special FDA drive (June 5 to June 16, 2026).
55: Total food establishments inspected across Mumbai.
26: Outlets caught violating the newspaper ban.
17: Cases settled immediately.
Rs 1.51 lakh:Total penalty recovered so far.
