Karnataka ban on Gobi Manchurian and cotton candy: How food colours can harm you

HOW DO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS HARM THE HUMAN BODY

When used for a long period of time and consistently, such as the kind seen in addictive choices made by regular diners, they can cause long-term inflammation, according to Ritika Samaddar, regional head, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Healthcare. “In fact, this is the reason why we advise patients suffering from arthritis to avoid artificial colours and preservatives in the body. It is for the same reason that we have been talking about not using food colours in cotton candy because this item is addictive for children. Though no study has yet established a direct correlation between the use of food colours and a particular disease like cancer, animal studies have definitely demonstrated high amounts of toxicity when they have been given food laden with artificial colours over a long period of time. And the reaction can be presumed to be different for people with different sensitivities,” she adds.

Rhodamine B is a basic red dye and is extremely water-soluble, which is why it is used by restaurateurs to enhance the visual appeal of the food or make the cotton candy attractive to the kid. Rhodamine B is toxic to the human body as an Indonesian study in 2020 found it caused oxidative stress on cells and tissues. The use of Rhodamine B in food for a long time, it said, could lead to liver dysfunction or cancer, and when exposed to large amounts over a short period, results in acute poisoning. A rat study found it to affect the ovaries.

Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow food dye and has been indirectly linked to hives, food allergies like swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, and neck. A 2015 study found it to be neurotoxic (toxic to cells in the brain) in studies done with rats, affecting their spatial memory. Carmoisine can trigger hypersensitivity reactions, including skin swelling, breathing difficulties, particularly among asthmatics and hives.

HOW TO KNOW WHICH FOOD COLOUR IS SAFE

First and foremost, says Samaddar, it is important to know the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) approved colours. “Only approved colours should be used within prescribed limits. The use of colour should be mentioned in food menus so that people can make informed choices,” says Samaddar. “When you buy premixed pastes and spices, read the label for permitted food colours. Also do not have food colours on a daily basis,” she advises.

WHAT DO FSSAI REGULATIONS SAY?

These regulations allow for the use of carotene and carotenoids, including beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, chlorophyll, caramel, riboflavin, saffron and curcumin.

As per FSSAI regulations, the final concentration of synthetic food colorants should not exceed 100 ppm in foods and beverages (FSSAI 2009).