John in Kansas:
A newspaper straight from the press is almost perfectly sterile, due to the high temperatures used to dry the ink; but would you eat off an old one?

Back when I was younger, the standard wrapping for a portion of fish and chips to be eaten on the way home was newspaper (sometimes supplemented by a sheet of greaseproof paper) I don't know whether this was outlawed by British hygenists, or by the European Union, but it never did us any harm.
Last time I was in Holland they still sold 'patats frites' in cardboard cones printed to look like rolled up newspapers.

Nigel