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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

23/03/24 09:37 AM IST

Karnataka banned certain colouring agents

In News
  • Karnataka became the third State in South India to ban the use of certain colouring agents in cotton candy and gobi manchurian that are found to be harmful.
Harmful chemicals
  • The unsafe samples with added colours showed traces of sunset yellow, tartrazine and rhodamine-b in cotton candy.
  • Similarly, the unsafe samples of gobi manchurian had tartrazine, sunset yellow and carmoisine.
  • A ban is already in place over the use of colouring agent rhodamine-b, a suspected carcinogenic substance.
  • The prolonged use of snacks that contain artificial colours can lead to deadly diseases such as cancer.
Penalties
  • As per Rule 16 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulation 2011), no artificial colours should be used in the preparation of gobi manchurian.
  • The same rules allow certain food colours to be used within the approved limits, while non-permitted colours, including rhodamine-b, should not be used in the preparation of cotton candy.
  • The cancellation of licence for commercial activities, hefty fines and jail term have been threatened against the offenders.
  • The Food Safety and Standards Act stipulate a fine of not less than ₹10 lakh and a jail term of a minimum of seven years, extending to life imprisonment, against those using banned chemical substances in food products.
Way forward
  • The Government plans to create awareness among manufacturers, it has also urged consumers to be aware of what they are consuming.
  • The notification advised the public not to use, or use minimally, food items prepared with artificial colours.
  • Random checks will be conducted to ascertain adherence to the legal provisions.
Source- The Hindu

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