Who doesn’t love sweets, especially cakes and pastries that make our celebrations even more delightful? But a recent revelation might have you reconsidering your favourite treats.
In a surprising discovery, harmful artificial colours have been found in cake samples collected from bakeries across Karnataka. According to a report by Deccan Herald, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) recently tested cake samples, suspecting the use of unauthorised colouring agents. The suspicion arose after officials noticed unusually dark colours in some cakes sold at local bakeries.
Srinivas K, Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka, confirmed to Deccan Herald that some of these samples contained harmful colouring agents like Allura Red. He explained, “Every month, we are trying to test different categories of food products. This time, our officials noticed that a few cakes being sold in the market had extremely dark colours and hence we decided to test cake samples. Of these, cakes by a few bakeries have been reported to contain Allura Red and such harmful colours.”
Many bakers admitted that using synthetic dyes is common practice, particularly in popular cakes like red velvet and pineapple. “Many of them use natural colours which are permitted and do not cause harm. However, there are a few bakers who try synthetic colours just to make the cakes look attractive,” the owner of a bakery in Electronic City told Deccan Herald on the condition of anonymity.
Health experts have warned about the potential risks of these synthetic dyes. “The use of such synthetic colours could cause asthma and allergies, among many other health issues. A few of them could also be carcinogenic, and their consumption in the long term could be harmful, especially for children and young adults,” Dr Vandana G, a private practitioner, told Deccan Herald.
Despite the concerning findings, FSSAI officials reassured the public that only a small number of bakery products were found to contain these harmful colours. “There is nothing to panic as of now or stop production of. Only a few bakers were found to be in violation, and we will take legal action against them,” FSSAI officials told Deccan Herald.
How Do Artificial Food Dyes Cause Cancer?
Studies on animals have shown that certain artificial colours can increase the risk of cancer. In high-dose animal trials, a significant increase in brain tumours was observed. Erythrosine, a controversial red dye, was found to increase thyroid tumours in rats.
Dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 may also contain carcinogenic contaminants such as benzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and 4-aminoazobenzene. These substances have been linked to cancer in various studies. However, experts caution that the results from animal studies do not directly translate to human risk since the dye quantities used in the studies far exceed typical human consumption levels. Despite some concerns, regulatory agencies still consider these dyes safe at current usage levels based on available evidence.
In a surprising discovery, harmful artificial colours have been found in cake samples collected from bakeries across Karnataka. According to a report by Deccan Herald, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) recently tested cake samples, suspecting the use of unauthorised colouring agents. The suspicion arose after officials noticed unusually dark colours in some cakes sold at local bakeries.
Srinivas K, Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka, confirmed to Deccan Herald that some of these samples contained harmful colouring agents like Allura Red. He explained, “Every month, we are trying to test different categories of food products. This time, our officials noticed that a few cakes being sold in the market had extremely dark colours and hence we decided to test cake samples. Of these, cakes by a few bakeries have been reported to contain Allura Red and such harmful colours.”
Many bakers admitted that using synthetic dyes is common practice, particularly in popular cakes like red velvet and pineapple. “Many of them use natural colours which are permitted and do not cause harm. However, there are a few bakers who try synthetic colours just to make the cakes look attractive,” the owner of a bakery in Electronic City told Deccan Herald on the condition of anonymity.
Health experts have warned about the potential risks of these synthetic dyes. “The use of such synthetic colours could cause asthma and allergies, among many other health issues. A few of them could also be carcinogenic, and their consumption in the long term could be harmful, especially for children and young adults,” Dr Vandana G, a private practitioner, told Deccan Herald.
Despite the concerning findings, FSSAI officials reassured the public that only a small number of bakery products were found to contain these harmful colours. “There is nothing to panic as of now or stop production of. Only a few bakers were found to be in violation, and we will take legal action against them,” FSSAI officials told Deccan Herald.
How Do Artificial Food Dyes Cause Cancer?
Studies on animals have shown that certain artificial colours can increase the risk of cancer. In high-dose animal trials, a significant increase in brain tumours was observed. Erythrosine, a controversial red dye, was found to increase thyroid tumours in rats.
Dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 may also contain carcinogenic contaminants such as benzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and 4-aminoazobenzene. These substances have been linked to cancer in various studies. However, experts caution that the results from animal studies do not directly translate to human risk since the dye quantities used in the studies far exceed typical human consumption levels. Despite some concerns, regulatory agencies still consider these dyes safe at current usage levels based on available evidence.
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