Two days after food safety officials confirmed the presence of cancer-causing chemicals in cotton candy, the Tamil Nadu government has banned the sale of the popular treat. This follows a similar ban in Puducherry earlier this month.
The Government Food Analysis Laboratory in Guindy found that samples of colored cotton candy contained both a textile dye and the chemical compound Rhodamine-B. These findings led to the declaration of the samples as 'substandard and unsafe,' in violation of various sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In a statement, Health Minister Ma Subramanian emphasized that under the Act, any preparation, packaging, importing, selling, or serving of food items containing Rhodamine-B during marriage ceremonies and public functions constitutes a punishable offense. Concurrently, the commissioner of food safety has instructed all food safety officers to thoroughly review the matter and take strict action in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.