Shocking: Your favourite idli can cause cancer

The researchers and environmentalists argue that the idlis prepared using plastic covers instead of cotton cloth while baking is the potential threat to human life as plastic emits harmful microns in heat. This micron, when makes an entry into the human system, can cause cancer.

Professor and Head of The Department Chemistry, CMR Institute of  Technology, Dr Phani Kumar Pullela said, the new journal of medicine has already made publications of the harmful impact of plastic coming into contact with humans.

 Food and beverage containers, some disposable plates, and toiletry bottles made of plastic have chemicals. Research suggests that all plastics may release chemicals if they're scratched or heated. Research also strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in these products, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), may cause cancer in people.

"The same concept has to be applied in cooking idli. If the idli is cooked using thin plastic, there is a high chance of suffering from diseases including cancer.  The plastic residues may leak into food substance when exposed to heat. The plastic emits harmful carcinogens when food is cooked or is heated in plastic items. In the long run, people will get infected with cancer as well," said Dr Pulella.

Agreeing with Dr Pullela, Dr Linge Gowda, Director of  KIDWAI Memorial Institute of  Oncology, says,  it is beyond an iota of doubt that plastic when exposed to heat releases harmful carcinogens which cause cancer.

"Consumption of food cooked in aluminium, steel, earthen pot or copper is safe. We have noticed people using plastic glass to drink roadside tea, and also people eat food like idli cooked using a plastic sheet in the cookware. The hotels and roadside stalls were earlier using a cotton cloth to avoid batter getting struck to idly cooking plates, but now, the plastic sheet is being used in most of the eateries. In the long run, this will have an impact on health. Hence we suggest that the local and municipal authorities must impose penalty on such eateries,"  he said.

Dr Nirmal Buggi, Chief Health Officer of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, has directed all the 198 health inspectors to check eateries in their respective jurisdiction and impose penalty for use of plastic in cooking.

"The plastic above 40 micron and micro wave safe vessels are only allowed to cook and serve food  when it comes to use of plastic. The roadside shops are aware that using such plastic in cooking and also while covering the serving plate can cause negative effects on health. Yet, they do not comply with BBMP rules," he said.

• idli
• cancer
• roadside
• plastic
• Phani Kumar