Tamil Nadu bans cotton candy sales due to cancer-causing chemical

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian announced a ban on the production and sale of cotton candy in the state following laboratory tests that confirmed the presence of cancer-causing chemicals in samples collected from beaches and various locations in Chennai by the food safety department.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian stated that the results from the Government Food Analysis Laboratory indicated the existence of cancer-causing chemicals in cotton candy, leading to its prohibition in the state. He emphasised that the use of Rhodamine-B as a food additive in the manufacturing, packaging, import, sale, or serving of food at public events would be punishable under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The Commissioner of Food Safety has directed officials to take strict actions as per the Act.

Earlier, a team of officials, led by P Satheesh Kumar from the Food Safety Department in Chennai, had conducted raids on stalls selling cotton candy in Marina Beach and other areas.

This action was prompted by a similar raid in Puducherry, where tests revealed the presence of Rhodamine-B, an industrial dye, in the cotton candy. The dye, used as an artificial colouring agent, was detected during subsequent testing.

Satheesh Kumar urged the public to refrain from consuming cotton candy until the test results were available. On February 16, the food safety department confirmed the presence of Rhodamine-B in the cotton candy samples, categorising them as 'substandard' and 'unsafe.'