Street Food Cancer Risk: Do you frequently eat samosas cooked in burnt oil? Learn how much the risk of cancer increases.
- bySherya
- 13 Oct, 2025

Samosa Side Effects: Samosas are a favorite, but to save oil, shopkeepers fry them repeatedly in the same oil. This causes significant harm to our health. Let's find out how.

Samosa Health Risks: If you ask people in India, especially in North India, what's the most famous street food, the only answer will be the samosa. It's a street food that you can eat anytime, day or night. You can eat it with chutney, vegetables, yogurt, make chaat, and mix it with jalebi. Although it tastes good, if you don't take care of it, it can spoil both your taste and health. Because boiling it repeatedly in oil can be fatal. Let's find out how and why.
Why is reused oil dangerous?
According to health experts, repeatedly heating oil can lead to the formation of free radicals, which can lead to cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer's. The fatty acids present in oil break down, creating harmful compounds known as trans fats and free radicals. Repeated heating can also lead to the formation of harmful compounds, known as trans fats and free radicals. According to several health studies, consuming foods fried in repeatedly burned oil significantly increases the risk of gastric cancer, liver problems, and heart disease. The oxidation process creates compounds like acrolein and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to cause cancer. According to a research report published in PubMed, repeatedly heated oil can lead to the formation of several compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), that may pose a risk factor for cancer.
Street food is the biggest threat.
Roadside items like samosas and pakoras pose a significant risk to people. They are kept fresh by repeatedly reheating them in the same oil they were fried in. Shopkeepers do this to reuse the oil, but it has a profound effect on your health. Toxic compounds are formed in them. Eating them immediately is harmless, but they gradually begin to show their effects. To avoid this, try to avoid fried foods outside and prepare snacks at home using fresh oil. Include boiled, grilled, or baked dishes in your diet instead of fried foods.