"Stop This": Outrage Over Street Vendor's Cooking Method of Dropping Entire Oil Pouch Into Boiling Oil

Controversy Over Cooking Practices of Indian Street Vendor
Using Sealed Plastic Oil Pouches Directly in Boiling Oil
"Serious Health Risks... Action Needed"

The cooking practices of a street food vendor in India have sparked controversy as footage spread across social media platforms. The vendor was seen placing a sealed plastic oil pouch directly into a pot of boiling oil, prompting Indian netizens to criticize the method as "a threat to public health."

An Indian street vendor was caught melting plastic oil pouches in hot oil, sparking controversy. Social media

According to a recent report by Indian media outlet India Today, a street vendor in Ludhiana, a city in the northwestern state of Punjab, was caught putting a plastic pouch filled with oil directly into a pot of hot oil.

A food blogger shared a video on social media showing the vendor using a sealed plastic oil pouch, rather than cutting it open with scissors, and placing it directly into the hot oil to melt it before using it for cooking. During this process, the plastic melted and burst, mixing with the oil. The vendor then poured the oil into the pot and began cooking. The vendor stated, "If the oil is hot enough, the pouch bursts immediately."

The vendor was selling 'pakora,' a popular Indian street food made by frying bread stuffed with mashed potatoes and spices. Each piece sells for 10 rupees (approximately 160 KRW).

The video has drawn criticism for "disregarding hygiene and safety standards." Health coach Shashi Iyengar commented on X (formerly Twitter), "This street vendor uses a 'genius way of pouring oil'-he puts the entire pouch in the hot pan," sarcastically adding, "What's next? Achieving the perfect street food flavor with plastic melted in oil."

Many Indian netizens also pointed out that this practice poses a serious health risk and called for strong action from authorities. One user noted, "Melting plastic in oil is clearly dangerous. You don't need scientific knowledge to know how risky this is." Another commented, "This isn't fast food, it's 'last food.'" Some also argued, "Instead of publicizing this behavior, it should be reported to the authorities and stopped immediately."

Indian street food is notorious for poor hygiene. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), unsafe food causes 600 million cases of infection and 400,000 deaths annually in India.

Last year, a video showing vendors in Uttarakhand spitting into food went viral, sparking further controversy. In response, the Uttarakhand state government introduced revised food safety guidelines, imposing fines of up to 100,000 rupees (about 1.64 million KRW) for unsanitary practices and requiring the installation of closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras in restaurant kitchens above a certain size.