The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued further warnings as a part of its continuing investigation into products on the UK market containing the chemical dye Sudan I. The latest products that are known to have been contaminated with the dye are frozen meat products manufactured by Blackburn-based firm Khan Quality Foods.
These products have been sold at small retail outlets, including butchers and corner shops in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Greater Manchester and the London area.
Sudan I is not allowed to be used in food. The FSA says that people most at risk would be those eating contaminated products regularly and over a long period of time.
These products have now been withdrawn from sale. The FSA says that anyone who has one of these contaminated products in the freezer should either throw it away or return it.
The agency has been investigating which food products in the UK could have been affected by contaminated chilli powder since July. It is understood that some chilli suppliers in India had been adulterating their chilli powder with Sudan I.
More than 70 contaminated products have been withdrawn from sale and recalled in the UK so far.
The FSA was notified by the European Commission (EC) in July that some products analysed in France were found to be contaminated with Sudan I. Some of these products had been manufactured in the UK.
These findings have led to a trail of investigations in the UK and other Member States into a number of companies and products using chilli powder from the Indian companies. In addition, the three Indian companies that have been identified as the source of contaminated chilli powder have had their licence to trade suspended by the Indian Spice Board pending further investigation.
Under a new EC Decision, which came into force on 30 July 2003, any new cargoes of dried and crushed or ground chilli coming into any EU Member State must now 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 will be detained for sampling and analysis.
Port officials can also test any other food products. Anything containing Sudan I will be seized and destroyed. Random sampling is also being undertaken by local authorities. All products found to contain Sudan I must be seized and destroyed.