Restaurants and eateries in Tiruchi have started complying with the directive issued in September by Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), to stop using newspapers to pack, serve or store edibles, though some vendors are still to fall in line.
Before the announcement, newspapers were widely used as substitutes for food-grade paper towels and plates to serve edibles, specially fried snacks, mainly because of their affordability.
“A packet of paper plates costs ₹25 to ₹30, whereas 1 kg of newspaper can be bought for under ₹10. This is one of the chief reasons why small shops and street food stalls prefer newspapers,” Arun Anbazhagan, a Food Safety Mitra certified by FSSAI to assist and guide food business operators in Madurai and Tiruchi, told The Hindu.
