The Ludhiana health department on Friday seized food samples and halted the operations of a vendor whose video went viral on social media where he was seen dipping sealed plastic oil packets into hot oil for frying fritters.
The video, shared by food blogger Harry Uppal on Instagram, showed a vendor near Gill Chowk engaging in a highly unsafe cooking practice. In the video, the man is seen placing three to four sealed plastic pouches of refined oil directly into a boiling pan.
As the heat softens and melts the plastic, the oil is released into the pan and used to fry the fritters. Later, the vendor is seen casually claiming that the method used to open the packets was ‘easier’ and ‘safe’, sparking widespread outrage online.
Social media users quickly dubbed the food “microplastics pakodas,” with many expressing serious concern over the potential health risks posed by microplastics and chemical leaching from melted plastic into food.
Following public pressure, a team from the city’s health department conducted an on-site inspection and seized samples of the gram flour batter, cooked fritters, and condiment (chutney) for laboratory testing.
Health department officials also discovered that the vendor had been operating without a valid food safety licence. “His food stall has been shut down and he has been barred from resuming business until he complies with all health and licensing regulations,” said a department official.
{{/usCountry}}Health department officials also discovered that the vendor had been operating without a valid food safety licence. “His food stall has been shut down and he has been barred from resuming business until he complies with all health and licensing regulations,” said a department official.
{{/usCountry}}“He was completely unaware of food safety norms and the grave health implications of such a practice. We have issued a strict warning and conducted sensitisation on food hygiene, but operations will remain suspended until full compliance is achieved,” the official added.
District health officer Dr Amarjeet Kaur said, “This time, timely action was possible because the food blogger had clearly mentioned the vendor’s exact location,” she said, urging food bloggers and content creators to tag the health department and provide accurate addresses when posting such content.
“This would help us act faster and more effectively,” she added.