|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
K'taka Food Safety dept cautions on using artificial colours as cancer-causing agents found in 12 bakery cakes
|
|
Saturday, 05 October, 2024, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
|
Karnataka Food Safety and Quality Department have now cautioned about the indiscriminate use of artificial colours after its enforcement team picked up 235 cake samples tested out of which, 223 were found safe, while 12 contained dangerous levels of artificial colours. The 12 cakes that were tested were found to have several carcinogenic substances. These are across the cake samples collected from bakeries in Bengaluru.
According to the details shared by the state food safety officials, carcinogenic substances found in cake samples detected in the artificial colours can harm mental and physical health. This led the state government to issue an advisory about the potential health risks associated with the popular dessert.
The move follows after the state, earlier in May this year, banned the use of artificial food colours, including Rhodamine-B, in cotton candy and gobi manchurian due to health concerns.
In a statement, the Karnataka Food Safety and Quality Department said that several carcinogenic substances found in popular cake varieties like red velvet and black forest, pose significant health risks.
“Such additives, as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, are identified to have serious health risks," stated the note from the state food department.
The state food safety department has now directed bakeries to comply with safety standards, warning against the use of artificial colours in cakes, such as Allura Red, Sunset Yellow FCF, Ponceau 4R, Tartrazine, and Carmoisine, among others.
The high use of artificial colours not only increases cancer risks but may also harm mental and physical health, the Karnataka Food Safety and Quality Department said in its statement.
In June this year, Karnataka banned artificial colours in kebabs. Based on the findings that kebab samples collected from 39 outlets contained unsafe levels of artificial colours, the decision has been made. The State Food Safety and Standards Department had received several complaints alleging that eateries across the state were using artificial colours in kebabs. It has also banned the usage of artificial colours in veg, chicken and fish kebabs.
Continuing on its massive surprise inspection, in July too, Karnataka Food Safety Standards Authority swooped down on food outlets engaged in the use of synthetic and artificial colours. It found bacteria and yeast in Shawarma samples at the outlets leading to food safety concerns. Of the 17 Shawarma samples collected from nine districts, only nine were found to be safe being clean and hygienic. The state labs detected bacteria and yeast and the public are now cautioned on the consumption of Shawarma.
The department officials stated that its inspections and close surveillance would continue to keep the food safe across outlets as there is a large floating population in the state which is dependent on eating out. Moreover, festivals like the ongoing Dasara attract a lot of food outlets to come up across locations at random. Therefore there is a need to keep a close watch on all these outlets.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|