Coloured food: Tamil Nadu govt continues crackdown

CHENNAI: Nearly 16.5 tonnes (or 16,500kg) of ‘vadams’ coloured with cancer-causing synthetic dyes were seized by food safety authorities on Tuesday. Officials sealed the manufacturing unit in Tondiarpet and a godown in Kotawalchawadi. The owners have been told not to open the premises or send stocks out until further orders.
While the samples of the products from the godown were sent to the food safety lab for analysis, the lab had confirmed to the food safety officials that the samples they picked from the manufacturing unit on August 25, 2021, were “unfit for human consumption”.“At that time, we fined him and warned him about the consequences of using dyes in food products. We also told him that we will file a criminal case against him if the lab finds them unfit for consumption. Last week, we received the final report from the lab stating the product was unfit,” said the designated officer for food safety (Chennai) Dr P Satheesh Kumar.
On Tuesday, based on a tip from traders in Koyambedu vegetable market, the city wing of the food safety department raided a godown on Acharappan Street in Kothawalchavadi, where they found more than 1.5 tonnes of ‘vadams’ packed in huge polythene bags. During the inquiry, staff told officials that the stocks came from a manufacturing unit in Tondiarpet. “We found that it was the same unit we raided last year.
Food safety officials will move court based on the lab report they had received.
The food safety officials issue notices and fined them ₹5,000 for violation of food safety norms.