Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Monday wrote to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, urging urgent action over the illegal addition of Auramine, a carcinogenic industrial dye, in roasted chana and other food products. Citing recent reports, Chaturvedi highlighted that the dye, typically used in textiles and leather, is being added to foods to enhance color, in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Health Risks Highlighted
She emphasised the serious health risks posed by the practice. “Despite these clear dangers and prohibitions, this adulteration continues unchecked,” Chaturvedi said, noting that Auramine is recognised by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer as a potential carcinogen linked to liver, kidney, and bladder cancers, along with neurological harm.
Gaps in enforcement under scrutiny
The Rajya Sabha MP pointed out systemic failures in food safety enforcement, including weak market surveillance, delayed public warnings, poor enforcement, insufficient compliance checks, and no clear accountability for lapses. “These gaps have allowed an outright illegal and dangerous practice to persist without scrutiny or consequence,” she noted.
Chaturvedi demanded immediate measures from the Ministry, including a national health alert, nationwide testing of roasted chana and related foods, inspections, fines, imprisonment for violators, and parallel enforcement by state health departments. She also called for an internal audit of FSSAI protocols to identify lapses enabling such violations.
“The use of carcinogenic dyes in food is an unacceptable breach of public safety. It is incumbent upon the Ministry to urgently intervene to protect public health and restore consumer confidence in food safety mechanisms,” she asserted.
The MP’s letter comes amid growing concerns over food adulteration in India and raises pressing questions about the effectiveness of regulatory oversight to protect consumers.