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Vande Bharat Passenger Horrified: ‘Phulkas’ Microwaved In Plastic Packs; Netizens Panic ‘Will It Melt?’ — IRCTC Responds
Vande Bharat Passenger Horrified: ‘Phulkas’ Microwaved In Plastic Packs; Netizens Panic ‘Will It Melt?’ — IRCTC Responds
A train journey turned into a serious food safety concern for a passenger travelling between Allahabad and Delhi. She questioned the way food was being served onboard after noticing that rotis and kachoris were being handed out hot inside sealed plastic packets. What began as a simple doubt soon led to a public complaint.
The woman recorded her interaction with the train staff and later shared a detailed post online. She raised questions about whether the plastic packaging was safe to be heated directly in a microwave and asked the railway authorities to clarify the process.
Public Health Issue Alert 🚨 Travelling on Vande Bharat today (Allahabad → Delhi) and yesterday was travelling on Rajdhani (Delhi → Allahabad), I was served rotis/kachoris heated directly inside sealed plastic packaging. While at Rajdhani, I was hungry and so ate the hot… pic.twitter.com/gIxM4U1d5N
— Avani Bansal (@bansalavani) February 18, 2026
Woman Questions Staff About Heating Method
In the video, the woman is seen asking a staff member, “So you heated this in the microwave?" The staff replied, “Did you want it cold?" She clarified, “No, no, I don’t want it cold. So, it’s okay to microwave all the plates. Now, it says to store in a cool and dry place. You are serving this food to everyone on the train. What’s the authorisation? There’s no private information in it. It says to store in a cool and dry place. You just said you were microwaving it."
She continued to question him and asked, “Tell me, where does it say that?" The staff member responded, “It’s not written. It’s written here for storage." She then insisted, “Can you tell me, where does it say on this package that it can be put in the microwave?"
Raising her concern further, she said, “So you don’t think so. Understand one basic thing. This is plastic. If you put it directly in the microwave. Where does it say you can microwave it directly? I want to complain."
She also added, “Where I have to raise a complaint, I’m already doing it and I will. Of course I will do it."
Post Highlights Public Health Concern
Later, she explained the issue in a detailed post on X. “Public Health Issue Alert. Travelling on Vande Bharat today (Allahabad → Delhi) and yesterday was travelling on Rajdhani (Delhi → Allahabad), I was served rotis/kachoris heated directly inside sealed plastic packaging…" she wrote.
Public Health Issue Alert 🚨 Travelling on Vande Bharat today (Allahabad → Delhi) and yesterday was travelling on Rajdhani (Delhi → Allahabad), I was served rotis/kachoris heated directly inside sealed plastic packaging. While at Rajdhani, I was hungry and so ate the hot… pic.twitter.com/gIxM4U1d5N
— Avani Bansal (@bansalavani) February 18, 2026
She pointed out that the packet clearly mentioned “Store in a cool and dry place," but did not mention microwave use or say it was microwave safe. She wrote that the packets were visibly hot when served and that a staff member confirmed they were heated directly in the packaging.
She questioned whether the packaging was certified for such heating and warned that heating plastic without proper instructions could lead to chemicals mixing with food. She tagged the railway authorities and asked who had authorised this practice.
She demanded clarification and wrote that passenger safety should not be ignored for the sake of convenience. She also warned against shifting blame between departments and vendors and called for clear action and corrective steps.
After the post gained attention, the official account of IRCTC replied, “Ma’am, Please share your PNR and mobile number to proceed with addressing your concerns. Your response will help us assist you promptly."
Ma'am, Please share your PNR and mobile number to proceed with addressing your concerns.Your response will help us assist you promptly. https://t.co/jQ5E3ENhNu— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) February 19, 2026
Several users supported her concern. A person said, “Train your staff and pay your staff. Having illiterate people working on trains, these things will happen…see how it is done on planes and copy, if you want to sell warm meals."
Another commented, “Rule 1: Don’t buy anything except water in IRCTC."
“Absolutely agree. Passengers’ health is being compromised by these IRCTC vendors," a user wrote.
“Spread this Public health alert. Carefully when u travel on Indian trains and eat what you paid for," an individual stated.
Heating Plastic Packs May Release Harmful Chemicals
Heating plastic that is not marked microwave-safe can cause chemicals to mix with food. Studies published in PubMed Central (PMC8157593) explain that phthalates, which are used to make plastics flexible, can affect hormones in the body. Exposure has been linked to developmental and reproductive health concerns, especially in children and teenagers.
Another study in PubMed Central (PMC11385141) notes that early exposure to certain phthalates may impact metabolism and hormone balance. Researchers warn that heat can increase chemical migration, making it important to use only certified, heat-safe packaging for serving food.
Source: News18
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