Cancer-Causing Chemical in China's Chilli Products.

A cancer-causing industrial dye has been found in chilli paste and red chilli powder products in China, a trade watchdog has said.Several supermarkets and factories in Hunan province have been punished for selling and producing the products dyed with chemical compound Rhodamine B, a banned food additive.The Changsha Industrial and Commercial Bureau revoked the licence of a company while a dealer was fined tens of thousands of yuan, the Shanghai Daily reported Saturday.The dye was added in order to improve the appearance of the products.Hunan cuisine is known for being dry-hot, as distinct from the numbing-hot flavours of Sichuan cuisine. However, both provinces have been hit by the dyed pepper scandal.Rhodamine B was first detected in hotpot seasonings in Chongqing in March 2011