Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao takes decisive action, banning the use of Rhodamine-B food coloring agents in cotton candies and gobi manchurian over health concerns.
Karnataka has joined the ranks of states taking action against harmful food practices. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced the ban of Rhodamine-B, a food coloring agent, in cotton candies and gobi manchurian due to health concerns. Rao emphasized, "If anyone is found using Rhodamine-B food coloring agent, then severe action will be taken against them under the Food Safety Act."
The move comes in response to concerns about the poor quality of these food items across the state, particularly due to the use of artificial coloring agents. Out of 171 gobi manchurian samples collected, 64 were deemed safe while 106 were found unsafe. Similarly, out of 25 cotton candy samples, only 10 were considered safe.
The banned artificial colors include Tartrazine, Carmoisine, Sunset Yellow, and Rhodamine-1B. Rao pointed out that many eateries use Rhodamine to enhance the red color of their food items.
The state commissioner of food safety has issued an order to ban artificial colors in gobi manchurian and cotton candy across Karnataka. Notably, even samples from 3-star hotels were found to be unsafe.
Karnataka's action follows similar moves by other states. Last month, Goa's Mapusa Municipal Council banned gobi manchurian, joining other Goan civic bodies in taking measures against the popular dish. Additionally, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry banned cotton candy last month after finding traces of Rhodamine-B, a chemical linked to cancer, in the samples tested.