UK's Sherlock detects illegal imports
with the country's food agency boasting the powers of its
'detective work' in thwarting imports of the illegal spice.
In June this year, the EU undertook emergency measures in order to stop the import into the union of hot chilli products containing the known carcinogen Sudan red, banned from foodstuffs.
Since this time, France and the UK have alerted authorities to a series of chilli products containing the illegal dye that have entered their respective countries.
Under a new EC Decision, cargoes of dried and crushed or ground chilli coming into any EU member state must be accompanied by a certificate showing they have been tested and found to be free of Sudan I. Any consignment that does not have a certificate must be detained for sampling and analysis.
According to the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Gautam Export corporation was one of three firms in India suspected by the authorities of adulterating their chilli supplies with the red chemical dye Sudan I.
"This practice has lead to the contamination of foods containing chilli across Europe," said the agency in a statement this week.
The Indian Spice Board suspended the Gautam Export corporation's licence to export when it first suspected that the company was adulterating its chilli in June.
And now for the detective work. "During the agency's investigations into contaminated products, a source in the British food industry revealed that the firm had apparently resumed trading under a different company name," said the FSA.
Information that the FSA then passed on to the Indian spice board. Last month the board suspended the licence of the firm which had resumed trading under the name of SG Spice and Seed Trading corporation.
According to the FSA, the spice board is now applying to the Indian ministry of commerce to have the companies' licences permanently revoked.
David Yard, head of the agency's Food Incident branch, who passed on the tip-off, said: "We spend a great deal of time trying to track down food products contaminated with Sudan I and ensure they are removed from sale."
Forbidden in foodstuffs in the European Union, Sudan I, a known carcinogen, is a red dye that is used for colouring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes.
