Synthetic colours in aravana ingredients? Spat over quality of Sabarimala prasadam

Food Safety officials say analysis of samples yielded conclusive evidence of food colour contamination. 

Presence of synthetic colours in cardamom

An unseemly row has erupted between the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Food Safety Department over the quality of raw materials used for the production of Appam and Aravana at Sabarimala during the annual pilgrimage season.

The issue arose after officials from the Food Safety Commissionerate stopped the transport of a consignment of cardamom from Pampa to Sannidhanam, citing the results of an analysis of samples which detected the presence of synthetic food colours. The TDB subsequently had to stop the production and distribution of Appam for the pilgrims, provoking an angry response from Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran.

Inappropriate

Terming the restriction imposed by the Food Safety Department inappropriate and crossing all limits, the Minister told a press conference that the timing of the decision gave room for suspicion. He also alleged that the officials were causing inconvenience to the pilgrims.

Food Safety officials said the analysis of samples had yielded conclusive evidence of food colour contamination.

“We detected the presence of Tartrazine Yellow and Brilliant Blue additives which are used in tandem to impart green colour to cardamom. The results of the tests done at the analytical lab at Pampa were later confirmed by the NABL-accredited lab in Thiruvananthapuram,” an official said. Tartrazine and Brilliant Blue have been linked to cancer, asthma, allergies and stomach ailments.

On Monday, a press note issued by the office of the Food Safety Commissioner here alleged that the TDB was levelling baseless allegations to cover up the issue.

The press note said the Food Safety Department had been ordered by the High Court to keep a close tab on raw materials used for preparation of prasadam at Sabarimala. “One sample each of jaggery and rice flakes (avil) and two samples each of rock candy (kalkandam) and cardamom did not conform to food safety standards. The consignments were withheld at Pampa and the government, TDB, and High Court informed of the situation,” the press note said.

Food Safety officials said the issue could have been averted if TDB had procured the materials well before the start of the pilgrimage season.