With the rise of restaurant takeaways and food deliveries in recent years, many have found convenience and a surge in plastic waste from packaging materials like bags, boxes and containers. Amidst this trend, concerns about hot food being packed in plastic containers have surfaced.
Celebrity nutritionist and lifestyle expert Luke Coutinho recently asked food delivery giants Zomato and Swiggy to switch to biodegradable containers, citing the health risks of packing hot food in plastic. However, scientific evidence says the link between plastic containers and cancer is essentially a myth. Instead, other everyday habits like using newspapers for food packaging and drinking hot beverages from paper cups are more harmful.
Myth: Plastics and Cancer Risk
Luke Coutinho’s concerns about plastic containers are not entirely baseless. He says hot food packed in plastic can cause the plastic to break down and release harmful chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and other toxins into the food. However, scientific evidence does not support the claim that plastic containers for hot food increase cancer risk.
According to Cancer Research UK, using plastics does not increase cancer risk. This includes drinking from plastic bottles, plastic containers, cling film and storing food in plastic bags. Even when plastics are heated for hours, studies have shown that the food inside is safe. The levels of BPA that might migrate from plastic into food are deficient and within a safe range for humans.
The myth likely comes from studies on animals or human cells in a lab where high concentrations of these chemicals were used. These are far from real-life human exposure. So, extrapolating these results to real-world scenarios is not scientifically justified. Reducing plastic use is good for the environment but doesn’t lower cancer risk.
Real Risks: Newspaper-Wrapped Food
While plastics may be overstated, other food packaging habits are harmful. One such habit is using newspapers to wrap food, which is common among street vendors because it’s cheap. The ink in newspapers contains toxic chemicals that can leach into food and cause severe health issues, including cancer.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned using newspapers in food packaging. The ink contains bioactive materials, harmful colors, pigments, binders, additives and preservatives that can contaminate food. Newspapers and recycled papers may also contain metallic contaminants like mineral oils and chemicals like phthalates that can cause digestive problems and severe toxicity. Pathogenic microorganisms present in used newspapers are also a risk to human health. Chhattisgarh government is among the many that have banned this practice, citing long-term health damage.
Real Risks: Paper Cups
Another significant but lesser-known risk is drinking hot beverages from paper cups. These cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic to prevent leaks, but when exposed to hot liquids, the lining can leach microplastics into the drink.
A study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur found that hot water left in a paper cup for 15 minutes could contain up to 25,000 microplastic particles. These particles are tiny – about the width of a human hair – but carry contaminants like toxic heavy metals (zinc, lead and chromium) that can be harmful over time. Regular ingestion of these microplastics could lead to serious health issues, including possible carcinogenic effects.
The Balance
While we need to be aware of the risks of food packaging, we need to base our fears on science. The myth that hot plastic containers cause cancer has been busted by multiple studies. The levels of chemicals like BPA that leach into food are deficient and safe for human consumption, even under high heat conditions.
On the other hand, using newspapers for food packaging and drinking hot beverages from paper cups with plastic linings pose more significant risks. The chemicals in newspaper ink and microplastics from paper cup linings have been shown to cause serious health issues, including cancer, digestive disorders and toxicity.
Safer Options
Given the environmental and health concerns, the call for biodegradable alternatives to plastic containers is still valid. But we need to address the correct issues. Efforts should be focused on stopping the use of newspapers for food wrapping and using safer materials for paper cup linings.
- Biodegradable Packaging: Encouraging biodegradable packaging materials like those made from plant-based polymers can reduce plastic waste and its environmental impact.
- Education and Awareness: Educating consumers and vendors about the health risks of certain packaging practices, like using newspapers or unsafe paper cups, is critical. Awareness campaigns can change behaviour towards safer options.
- Regulations: Governments and regulatory bodies should impose stricter rules on food packaging materials. This includes banning newspapers for food wrapping and ensuring paper cups used for hot beverages meet safety standards.
- Research: More research on safer and sustainable packaging materials is needed. Innovations in this area can provide alternatives that don’t compromise health or the environment.
While plastic containers and cancer may be more myth than fact, we must address the other significant health risks in food packaging. By focusing on science and promoting safer practices, we can better protect public health and the environment.
