Experts: Be careful with food wrappers to protect your health

In most urban areas—it is now almost standard practice for street food vendors to wrap hot food items in used printed paper. This includes old newspapers, school examination results papers, job application letters, and even pages torn from textbooks and official reports.

In some instances, the wrappers are plastic bags originally intended for carrying groceries or non-food items. The ease of obtaining such materials, combined with their low cost and the lack of public awareness, has entrenched this practice deeply into the city’s informal food vending culture.

Health professionals are increasingly alarmed by the unchecked use of such packaging, especially when used for hot and oily food.

Speaking to The Citizen, a nutrionist from Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Dr Elizabeth Kihanja, explains that most of the printed paper used by vendors contains inks that are not designed for direct contact with food.

“The majority of inks found in newspapers and printed office documents contain heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic. These compounds are industrial-grade and can leach onto food when exposed to heat, especially if the food is oily,” she says.

According to Dr Kihanja, the ingestion of these metals—whether in trace or larger quantities—poses longterm health hazards, including gastrointestinal disorders, kidney damage, liver toxicity, and even certain cancers.

“Consumers may not feel the effects immediately, but consistent exposure over months or years can lead to chronic illness,” she adds.

The concern is not limited to printed papers. Plastic wrappers used for hot food packaging also pose significant risks.

A public health specialist based in Dar es Salaam, Mr Ernest Mwakyanjala, explains that many of the plastics in circulation—particularly the black or blue carry bags sold in markets—are made from recycled materials and not certified for food use.

“These plastics often contain additives like phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), which under high temperatures migrate from the plastic into the food. Scientific studies have linked these substances to hormonal imbalances, fertility issues, and developmental problems, especially among children,” says Mr Mwakyanjala.

He warns that even if the plastic appears clean, its chemical composition may still be dangerous when it interacts with hot food. In 2019, Tanzania banned the production and importation of plastic carrier bags in a landmark environmental protection move.

Despite the ban, many vendors continue to use plastic bags as food wrappers due to their low cost, availability, and convenience. In addition, certain types of plastics that are permitted for packaging specific products—such as bread or dry goods—are increasingly being re-purposed to wrap hot and oily foods like chips and fried snacks.

Health experts warn that although these plastics may be allowed for their original purpose, they are not designed to withstand high temperatures, and when used with hot foods, they may release harmful chemicals that compromise consumer safety. Similarly, printed paper is often sourced from waste bins, old stockrooms, or directly from schools and offices disposing of outdated documents.

What started as a cost-cutting measure has now become a habit, fuelled by lack of regulation and limited education on food safety practices.

The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) has acknowledged the challenge and is working in collaboration with local authorities to improve compliance with food packaging regulations.

According to a senior environmental health officer at the Dar es Salaam City Council, Mr Daudi Chana, the use of non-food-grade packaging has been flagged in several routine inspections.

“We have observed widespread use of inappropriate wrappers by food vendors in various wards. While our teams conduct regular public health campaigns, the scale of informal food vending makes it difficult to reach everyone,” he says.

Mr Chana believes that public education is essential and must be sustained. “We need long-term awareness and a behavioural shift among both sellers and buyers,” he says.

Indeed, some of the problem stems from low consumer demand for safe packaging. Dr Kihanja points out that very few customers question the material used to wrap their food.

“The average customer is more concerned with quantity and price than the hygiene of the wrapper. Changing this mindset is crucial,” she says.