Use of newspapers for wrapping, packing and serving food is often noticed in India. However, this is a food safety hazard. Food safety hazards in use of newspaper for packaging food items Wrapping food in newspapers is an unhealthy practice and the consumption of such food is injurious to health, even if the food has been cooked hygienically. Newspapers are often seen as a handy and freely available food packaging material by small hotels, vendors and also in homes in lieu of absorbent paper. It is to be noted that such practice leads to slow poisoning. Foods contaminated by newspaper ink raise serious health concerns since the ink contains multiple bioactive materials with known negative health effects. Printing inks may also contain harmful colors, pigments, binders, additives and preservatives. Besides chemical contaminants, presence of pathogenic microorganisms in used newspapers also pose potential risk to human health. Newspapers and even paper/ cardboard boxes made of recycled paper may be contaminated with metallic contaminants, mineral oils and harmful chemicals like phthalates which can cause digestive problems and also lead to severe toxicity. Older people, teenagers, children and people with compromised vital organs and immune systems are at a greater risk of acquiring cancer-related health complications, if they are exposed to food packed in such material. Newspapers should not be used to wrap, cover and serve food or to absorb excess oil from fried food. Prohibition of newspapers for food packaging Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, strictly prohibits the use of newspaper or any such material for food storing and wrapping of food. An advisory in this regard has also been issued by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) during December 2016. Thus, small and medium food businesses, including street food vendors, restaurants, cloud kitchens, caterers, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), food vending establishments, petty retailers, mobile food vendors, hawkers, etc., shall not use newspapers at any point during the processing and sale of any food item, including to absorb excess oil, cover food ingredients or food items, wrapping food items etc. Accordingly, FSSAI re-iterates the above directions in the interest of consumer well-being and adopt only safe and approved food-grade packaging materials for use in the sale and distribution of food by them. Consumers are also urged to stay alert in this regard.