The food safety department of Uttarakhand issued adulteration notices to two most reputed & popular sweet shops of Dehradun City after finding “Synthetic Colours, Fungus and High Quantity of Starch” in some sweets samples.
The food quality tests were conducted after a local resident of dehradun complained that some shops were selling sweets lacking the desired or required quality. As per customer filed report he purchased ‘Boondi Laddus‘ from a popular shop on Chakrata Road but when he opened the box, it was fungus-ridden. He then lodged a complaint at the food safety department.
However, the reports came late due to staff crunch at the food safety department and scanty sampling facilities, an official said. But we have started inspection of all sweet shops since adulteration has become very rampant in the Dehradun City. We will take legal action against those found flouting norms.
As of now, we have sent notices to “Anandam on Chakrata road and Ganpati Sweets on Rajpur Road,” said food safety officer Anooj Thapliyal.
During festive season, incidents of adulteration increase every year. Dr Praveen Panwar from GDMC hospital said, “Synthetic Colors are not only cancerous but they also cause major neurological problems among children and old people as their immunity is low.”
The department has decided to take instant samples and send it for testing either to Rudrapur-based lab or Chandigarh in order to get results as soon as possible and curb adulteration during festive season.
How these food colors ruin your health:
- Auramine: Auramine is known to retard growth and damage kidneys and liver. Owing to its bright yellow color, it is used to color beverages.
- Metanil Yellow: Widely used in Indian sweets like jalebis and ladoos, it is highly dangerous as it causes degenerative changes in the lining of the stomach, kidneys and liver. It also adversely affects the ovaries and testes, proving to be dangerous to reproductive organs. It is commonly used to add color to ladoos and biryanis and consumption of this color has reported symptoms of giddiness, weakness and food poisoning.
- Rhodamine: A major component of sweets and bright red-colored drinks, it is known to break down red blood cells and adversely affect the immune system. It also causes growth retardation and damages the liver and kidneys.
- Sudan Dyes: Sudan dyes are also commonly used as the bright red colour is highly attractive and used to color chilli powder or curry powder. It is not only highly toxic to the liver but also known to cause kidney lesions and is a probable carcinogen.
- Lead Chromate: Lead chromate is the bright yellow colored dye which is also known chrome yellow. It is commonly added to turmeric powder, for imparting a bright colour. Lead chromate is highly dangerous as it causes anemia, abdominal pain, neurological problem,hypertension, foetal distress all leading to lead poisoning .
- Permitted Colors: Permitted colors are equally harmful to health causing various ailments. The cherry red color of erythrosine makes it quite popular among sweets, candy and Popsicle manufacturers. It is also used in cake decorating gels and is known to damage your DNA and also interfere with the process of sperm formation and other functions of the pituitary gland.
- Natural Dyes: Natural dyes such as Annatto dyes which are commonly used in cheese, beverages and cereals are known to trigger allergic reactions like skin rashes characterized by red itchy bumps on the skin and angioedema.
