Adulterated chilli powder seized

Knowledge Warehouse

1,500 kg of adulterated chilli powder seized
Saturday January 20 2007 10:50 IST

T'PURAM: For the first time, a consignment of 1,500 kg of chilli powder adulterated with the cancer-causing chemical dye Sudan Red was confiscated from a godown at the World Market, Anayara in the city on Friday.

The adulterated chilli powder was unearthed by City Corporation food inspector Jayachandran following a tip-off. The banned chemical Sudan Red is being used for adulteration of chilly powder despite having been proved that it is carcinogenic, he said. Chilli powder is mostly imported to the state from Mumbai and other places.

The adulterated chilli powder was sent to the Public Health Laboratory for further tests. Based on the report from the Laboratory, action will be taken as per the Food Adulteration Act, Jayachandran said. Earlier, adulterated Kesari dal and Bengal gram were detected in the city.

Corporation officials said that checking to detect adulterated food items would be made stringent through frequent raids so that the culprits could be brought to book.