Vande Bharat passenger sparks debate over food scare after being served heated rotis in plastic packets, IRCTC responds

She added that she initially ate the food but quickly grew suspicious. “While at Rajdhani, I was hungry and so ate the hot Kachori almost instantly and then realised – wait, how can it be hot? Wasn’t it in a sealed packet? How could they heat the packet directly?”

She noted that the same thing happened on both journeys. According to her, the “Halka Phulka” roti packet only mentioned storage in a cool, dry place and carried no instructions about microwave or in-pack heating.

“Yet the packets are handed over visibly hot. Lakhs of passengers can verify this; the rotis are served warm with the plastic pack heated. The person in the train confirmed that rotis were being heated directly in the packet,” she wrote, describing the issue as a potential public health concern.

Bansal also questioned whether food-grade plastic automatically meant the material was safe to heat, warning about the possibility of chemical migration when plastic is repeatedly warmed at scale.

Watch the video:

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

Responding on X, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said, “Ma’am, the packaging is suitable for service as per prevalent temperature standards in train. The packaging is unharmful from health point of view and food is safe for consumption.” Bansal shot back with a pointed question: “So you are saying that these packets are microwaveable?”

The Railways’ catering arm later asked her to share her PNR and mobile number so the matter could be examined further.

The post quickly drew widespread reactions. Many travellers said the issue raised valid questions about hygiene and packaging standards on premium trains. One user wrote, “If sealed food packs are being heated directly, the packaging must be specifically certified for in pack heating with proper migration testing. ‘Food grade’ does not automatically mean heat-safe. A clear clarification from IRCTC and the vendor on packaging validation would help ensure passenger safety and maintain trust.”

Several users also pointed to a recycling symbol on the packet, a triangle with the number 7 inside, and asked Grok to explain its meaning.

The AI tool replied, “The triangle arrow with a 7 is the Resin Identification Code for ‘Other’ plastics (like polycarbonate or bioplastics). It identifies the material for recycling, not food safety or microwave use. #7 plastics vary; some may be food-safe if labeled, but they’re not inherently microwaveable—heating can cause chemical leaching. Always check for explicit ‘microwave safe’ or FDA approval on the package. For the train packets, consult manufacturer specs.”

Others expressed frustration more bluntly. One person remarked, “What kind of lazy and inconsiderate country we are becoming. Everyone wants to take a shortcut for everything.”

Plastics marked under category 7 fall into the “Other” group, which includes materials such as polycarbonate and ABS. Experts generally advise caution with these plastics because some variants may contain BPA or other chemicals that can potentially leach into food when exposed to heat.