Wrapping meat and fish in newspapers, a health hazard

by Carol Aloysius

The present practice of vendors wrapping meat and fish in newspapers poses a serious health hazard for consumers, said a spokesman for the premier Poisons Centre in the country. “Print ink carries several health risks as it contains chemicals and heavy metals.”

“If these come into contact with the oil in fish and meat wrapped in newspapers, it can facilitate the poison from the print ink entering the body when ingested”, Head of the Toxicology Poisons Information Centre, National Hospital Sri Lanka (NHSL), Dr. Waruna Gunetilleke told the Sunday Observer.

Asked if wrapping paper with writing ink such as ball point pens was also harmful to human health, he said, “writing ink has a low toxicity compared to print ink. But it is better to avoid any printed paper for wrapping meat or fish or any other food product having oil.”

Steps to ban this practice have been already initiated in some European countries including the UK and Denmark, he said. “Meat and fish vendors have been asked to use eco-friendly biodegradable alternatives such as brown paper. The relevant authorities here should follow suit”, he said, adding that earlier vendors sold their products in habarala leaves which are now scarce.