GUNTUR: Several restaurants, eateries and street food courts in the city continue to use artificial food colouring agents, posing a risk to the health of citizens.
The use of artificial colours has been banned under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 as long-term consumption could increase the risk of cancer and tumours. An excessive amount of colouring agents, including red, orange and yellow are used in biryani, tandoori chicken, chilli chicken and even various sweets.
A few colouring agents such as tartrazine, sunset yellow, carmoisine, ponceau 4R, erythrosine and brilliant blue FCF were banned by the government for some food items. The confusion regarding the use of such agents in food items continues as the use is permitted in desserts like chocolate, ice cream, jelly, candies and sweets.
Speaking to TNIE, Assistant Food Controller Sk Gouse Mohiddin said these food items fall under the category of once in a while consumed foods and thus use of colours are permitted up to the level of 100 parts per million, while normal starters and main course fall under day-to-day consumed food, he said. But many street food court managers are not even aware that some food colours are banned.
Already strict regulations are in place for hotels and restaurants to display boards indicating no use of synthetic colours. Along with this, in order to increase awareness among street vendors, we are conducting food safety certification courses and workshops in different phases.
As many as 541 street food court runners participated in the recent workshop to prevent synthetic colours and provide safe and hygienic food to customers. On the other hand, doctors warn of serious health conditions due to continuous exposure to such hazardous synthetic food colours causing severe health complications in the long run. Children, who consume artificial food items have more risk of developing problems like sleeplessness, irritability and restlessness. The Assistant Food Controllerwarned that strict action will be initiated against those flouting food safety guidelines.