If you love eating samosas and momos with bright red chutney, you may soon notice a change. Uttar Pradesh has banned the use of artificial colours in chutneys served with popular street foods. The state's Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has issued new rules to stop the use of harmful chemical colours in food. Vendors have been asked to use natural ingredients such as tomatoes, beetroot, coriander and mint to give chutneys their colour. The move comes after banned industrial dyes were found in some food items. The new rules also cover sweets, bakery products and other street foods.
What Is Covered Under The New Rule?
The new rules do not allow vendors to add artificial colours to red and green chutneys served with samosas, momos, chaat and rolls. The rules also cover tikkas, kebabs and chaap. Vendors have been asked to use Kashmiri red chilli and degi mirch for the colour.
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Cotton candy, also known as budhiya ke baal, and ice lollies are covered by the rules as well. Vendors cannot use industrial colours such as Rhodamine B in these foods. This chemical is used to colour clothes and paper and is not meant for human consumption. The guidelines warn against the use of non-food-grade dyes such as Metanil Yellow, Butter Yellow, Malachite Green, Auramine, Orange II and Sudan dyes in food. The guidelines also do not allow added colours in foods such as cooked dal, vegetables, biryani and French fries. Plain bread, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, and natural fruit juices are also covered by restrictions.
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Exceptions
Food businesses can still use approved colours in certain sweets, cakes, pastries, biscuits and other food items. However, they must follow the limits set by food safety authorities. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, the general limit for permitted colours in listed sweets and confectionery is 100 mg per kg. The same limit applies to certain bakery products. For some processed fruits, the limit is 200 mg per kg for canned or glazed cherries and 100 mg per kg for other covered products.
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What Happens If Vendors Break The Rules?
Vendors and food businesses can face penalties if they do not follow the new rules. Action can be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Under Section 51, businesses selling sub-standard food can face a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. Section 52 deals with misbranded food. It allows a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh. Section 59 deals with unsafe food. If eating unsafe food causes no injury, the punishment can include up to six months in jail and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. If unsafe food causes death, the law provides for at least seven years of imprisonment. This can extend to life imprisonment, along with a fine of at least Rs 10 lakh.