64 peas samples in Karnataka detected with banned artificial dye

64 out of 114 samples of fried green peas contain the banned artificial dye Tartrazine.

Bengaluru: The Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA), Karnataka has found 64 out of 114 samples of fried green peas containing the banned artificial dye Tartrazine.

In a letter to the Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister of Karnataka dated March 3, the FDA Commissioner Srinivas K on Monday noted that the department has tested 96 samples out of the 114 fried green peas samples collected across the state, and had found 32 samples to be safe. The results of the other samples are awaited. 

Tartrazine, a synthetic, lemon-colored dye, is one among other artificial dyes such as sunset yellow and carmoisine that the health department banned in food item preparation last year after they were found in food samples. According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, samples found with artificial food colouring are deemed "unsafe".

In earlier communication, Srinivas noted that officers from the department were instructed to collect samples of fried green peas from across the state and send them for testing last month. As of February 20, FDA officers had collected 70 samples.