Do you enjoy a cup of tea during the monsoons, especially by the roadside dhabas? If you do, think again. That tea is under the scrutiny of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. After the major crackdown on banning food colouring agents in items like gobi manchurian, pani puri, cotton candy, and kebabs, the food safety officials have found large amounts of pesticides and colouring used in tea dust and leaves during processing.
It has been discovered that eateries use food colouring agents like Rhodamine-B and Carmoisine, which are known to be toxic. In the case of tea, it is the pesticides and fertilisers, say sources in FSSAI. These additives could lead to cancer.
The Karnataka health ministry will soon crack down on tea plantations that use more than the permissible amounts of pesticides while growing tea, which affects the health of consumers.
As of now, they have collected 48 samples taken across various districts of North Karnataka where the consumption of tea is very high. In districts like Bagalkote, Bidar, Gadag, Dharwad, Huballi, Vijayanagara, Koppal, and Ballari, the food inspectors have found large amounts of pesticides being used that could lead to major health hazards.
“We are testing and planning to take action against the tea producers. Our aim is to make people aware of not consuming poor quality or highly processed food and to encourage healthy eating. We are looking at things holistically and making people aware of the additives. We are not banning kebabs or gobi manchurian; we are banning the harmful substances used in these foods. The same applies to tea leaves as well,” said Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to News18.
News18 has learnt that the food regulatory authorities have found that farmers, and later tea producers during processing, add more than the permissible amounts of pesticides, which also convert into carcinogens, affecting lives.
A senior official said that they have found tea producers using large amounts of pesticides, and the laboratory will analyse more than 35 to 40 compounds or chemicals. “The pesticides were found to be more than the prescribed limit. That is why this drive is being undertaken,” said the official.
Earlier, the Karnataka government cracked down and banned the use of artificial colouring in food items, especially those served on streets like gobi manchurian and kebabs, as they were found to be using food colouring agents like Rhodamine-B and Carmoisine, which studies have shown to be toxic. When tested, it sent alarm bells across health ministries even in the country, where the laboratory tests indicated that cancer-causing additives Rhodamine-B and Tartrazine were being used to make food look attractive, but were highly life-threatening.
As part of the drive against colouring in food earlier, findings revealed that around 107 unsafe artificial colours were found in these dishes. Any violation will attract 7 years of imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh, in the case of food items.
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