Are idlis being served in Bengaluru eateries contaminated with plastic? A cloud of concern has settled after the state health department issued an order banning plastic for its preparation. Even as media reports suggest a drop in sales, Hotel associations have asserted that Bengaluru’s breakfast staple remains a healthy and safe choice.
The State’s FDA tested 251 samples of Idli from across the state and found contamination in 51 samples, prompting the Karnataka health department to order a ban on the use of plastics in idli preparation. Media reports indicate a decline in idli sales after the order.
PC Rao, President of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association, countered these concerns, stating, “We never used plastic in preparing idlis.” He emphasized that large hotels and “darshinis” (traditional eateries) predominantly use cloth or non-stick plates for steaming. “After the government order, we have asked all hotels, big and small, to adhere to this,” he added.
Rao has also dismissed claims of dwindling idli sales. “The ground reality is totally different,” he asserted, noting no noticeable decrease in demand, particularly among office-goers and the city’s IT workforce, who rely on idlis for a quick and convenient breakfast.
Dr. Raman Rao, a physician with over 40 years of experience, echoed this sentiment. He argued that the risk of plastic contamination was minimal. “Though the molecules are small in size in plastic, there are no chances that the plastic would enter the idlis,” he explained. “Most of us in South India have been eating idlis for a long time now. If the idlis were contaminated then we should have had several health hazards. I want to tell people that it is absolutely false and it is okay to consume idlis. Idli is not deadly.”
We asked if Dr Raman also consumes idli, he said, “Yes I do, atleast twice a week.”