Be careful of carcinogenic elements found in Pani Puri

science: Are you very fond of eating Pani Puri? Be careful, Pani Puri filled with artificial colours can increase your risk of many types of cancer and asthma as well as many other health problems, an expert said on Tuesday. Are you very fond of eating Pani Puri? Be careful, Pani Puri filled with artificial colours can increase your risk of many types of cancer and asthma as well as many other health problems, an expert said on Tuesday. Based on several complaints, food safety officials in Karnataka collected about 260 samples from roadside shops. Of these, 22 per cent of Pani Puri failed the quality test miserably. About 41 samples were found to contain artificial colours and carcinogenic elements, while 18 were found to be stale and unfit for human consumption.

This comes after Karnataka’s Food Safety and Standards Department passed an order in late June imposing a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh and punishment ranging from seven years to life imprisonment for using artificial colours in chicken kebabs, fish and vegetable dishes across the state. In March, Karnataka had also banned the use of Rhodamine-B, an artificial colouring agent used in cauliflower Manchurian and cotton candy.

“Using artificial food colours and flavour enhancers in excess to make dishes more appealing and enhance taste leads to a variety of health risks, especially in people who frequently eat out,” Edwina Raj, Head of Services – Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, told IANS. “Excessive exposure to such synthetic elements in food increases the risk of cancer and worsens gut health by increasing inflammation,” she added.

This can also lead to hyperactivity, allergy symptoms and asthma attacks in children, the expert added. Moreover, if the water used in Pani Puri is contaminated, it can also lead to foodborne diseases like typhoid. Artificial food colours are added to food products to enhance their visual appeal and consistency which in turn enhances the taste and ensures consumer satisfaction. However, the use of colours like sunset yellow, carmoisine and rhodamine-B in food items poses several health risks. Edwina said that instead of artificial agents, one can consume food items that are made of “natural colours and flavours using beetroot, turmeric, saffron threads, etc.”