Fitness guru urges Swiggy, Zomato to ditch plastic containers over health concerns. Deepinder Goyal responds

Luke Coutinho emphasised that plastic containers, especially when used for hot foods, pose significant health hazards.

In a recent Instagram post, integrative lifestyle expert Luke Coutinho expressed serious concerns about the health risks associated with using plastic containers for packaging hot food. Coutinho called on popular food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato, along with their associated restaurants, to transition to biodegradable, non-plastic containers for food packaging.

Coutinho emphasised that plastic containers, especially when used for hot foods, pose significant health hazards. He stated, "Swiggy, Zomato, Restaurants, Please work with your partners to ensure food deliveries happen in biodegradable non-plastic containers, many restaurants do this already, please make it uniform. Deliver food and health...hot food in plastic is making people sicker...You have the power to help make a change."

Elaborating further, the fitness guru pointed out that the food we order from outside might not always be the healthiest. He explained that high heat and flame, commonly used to cook food quickly, often destroy most ingredients and necessitate the use of more refined oils.

Coutinho warned about the dangers of packing hot food in plastic containers, highlighting that the heat and steam can cause the plastic to break down into harmful substances such as BPA and other toxins. "This heat starts to break down the plastic into dangerous BPA and other toxins that wreak havoc with the human body and hormones, fertility, estrogens, etc. We need to move to biodegradable, non-plastic ASAP for better health and a better earth," he wrote.

Tagging Swiggy, Zomato, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Coutinho urged them to take action. "@swiggyindia @zomato @fssai_safefood you have the power to make this change and be part of a healthier India," he added.

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A post shared by Luke Coutinho - Official (@luke_coutinho)

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In response, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal acknowledged Coutinho's concerns and promised to take steps towards safer food packaging. "Thanks, Luke, for bringing this up. We will do what we can - will highlight restaurants which use food-safe packaging, so customers can make a more conscious choice," Goyal said.

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A post shared by Luke Coutinho - Official (@luke_coutinho)

Coutinho expressed his gratitude for Goyal's response, stating, "Thank you @deepigoyal @zomato for acknowledging this and moving to action...at the end of the day it's about coming together with a vision to build a healthier country...thank you and me and my team are happy to help anytime. I wonder when @swiggyindia will decide to wake up and at least acknowledge participation."