15 eateries served notices in city for using unsafe colour

Criminal cases will be filed, says Assistant Food Controller

As many as 15 restaurants and eateries in the city have been recently served notices for using prohibited and unsafe food colour in various dishes.

The eateries, found lacing food with dyes to trigger appetite of food buffs, include city’s leading restaurants as well as those belonging to food chains based out of Hyderabad. Incidentally all the eateries that were started recently were also found using food colours. It may be recalled that on February 23, 11 teams of food safety department led by joint commissioner K.N. Swaroop raided eateries in Moghalrajpuram and at Pandit Nehru Bus Station. Samples of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian items were then lifted.

Analyses of the samples at the State Food Laboratory proved that most of them used unsafe food colour in items served at restaurants and substandard colours were used in confectioneries and bakery products.

"The analysis reports had arrived and based on that we served notices on all the eateries. Their response is awaited,” Assistant Food Controller (zone II) R Nageswaraiah told The Hindu.

Over 1 PPM colour used

“Majority of them were found using unsafe food colour, which is much more than the permissible 1 PPM (part per million or 1 gram per 100 kg of food) in all non-vegetarian items and some vegetarian items. Usage of food colour in items served at any restaurant is prohibited and 1PPM of colour can be used in cakes and sweets”, he added.

Mr. Nageswaraiah said that criminal cases will be filed against eateries using unsafe colours, and those using substandard colours. In both the cases fines will be imposed and court may award jail term too for those entities responsible.