After cotton candy ban, lens now on coloury sweets
The food safety department officials say that colouring agents and synthetic dyes are some of the most common toxic elements in food items, especially sweets.
Food Safety officials seize cotton candies during an inspection at Marina Beach.
CHENNAI: After the recent ban on cotton candy in Tamil Nadu, the State Food Safety Department is now keeping an eye on food colours and sweet colouring agents to check for the presence of adulterants, toxic elements and overuse of permitted edible colours.
While the presence of adulterants is a very common concern in the food industry, the food safety department is conducting inspections at food manufacturing units to seize adulterated edible food colours. The overuse of permitted food colours can lead to food poisoning, diarrhoea and other illnesses.
“The edible and permitted food colours are very often not used in permitted quantities and that can be harmful to our health. There is a permitted quantity for all the food colours used. Most of the time, we have noticed this being done in sweets. We are inspecting the sweet manufacturing units and shops to keep a tab on the quantity of permitted food colours, “ said Designated Food Safety Officer Dr P Satheesh Kumar.
Some of the permitted synthetic colours by Food Safety and Standards Authority India include Carmoisine, Azorubine, Ponceau 4R, Erythrosine, Allura Red, Tartrazine, Sunset yellow FCF, Indigotine or Indigo Carmine, Brilliant Blue FCF and Fast Green FCF. However, these colours are used in double the permitted quantity in food and some are even injected in fruits.
The food safety department officials say that colouring agents and synthetic dyes are some of the most common toxic elements in food items, especially sweets. The challenge increases in the summer as the sale of fruits, juices, ice creams and sweets sees an uptick.
He explains that if 100 ml of the permitted food colour is allowed, the sweet manufacturers end up using 400ml-500ml of them. It is done to ensure that food looks attractive to our eyes. However, this is harmful for human consumption and can cause various illnesses. Public should also be cautious against such food items,’’ says Dr Satheesh Kumar.
