If you regularly indulge in colorful bakery cakes, it might be time to rethink your choices. The Karnataka Food Safety and Quality Department has issued a warning about potentially cancer-causing ingredients found in cakes made by bakeries across the state, particularly in Bengaluru. Recent tests have uncovered that 12 popular cake varieties contain harmful agents, prompting concerns about public health.
Cancer-Causing Agents Detected
According to a report by Vijayavani, tests on cakes from various Bengaluru bakeries revealed the presence of carcinogenic substances. These findings follow similar warnings about cancer-causing chemicals in everyday street foods like gobi manchurian, kebabs, and pani puri.
The cakes, particularly popular varieties such as red velvet and black forest, often use artificial colors like Allura Red, Sunset Yellow FCF, Ponso 4R, Tartrazine, and Carmoisine. These additives not only enhance the visual appeal but also carry significant health risks, including an increased likelihood of cancer and other health issues.
Urging Compliance with Safety Standards
In response to the alarming test results, the Karnataka Food Safety and Quality Department has called on bakeries to adhere to strict food safety and quality guidelines. They emphasize that the excessive use of synthetic colors in cakes can lead to physical and mental health problems, urging producers to eliminate such harmful substances from their products.
Government Action on Harmful Additives
This is not the first instance of concern over dangerous food additives. Earlier in 2024, the Karnataka government banned the use of Rhodamine-B, a chemical coloring agent commonly used in dishes like gobi manchurian and cotton candy. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has pledged to take stringent action against those found using prohibited substances.
Rhodamine-B, which is traditionally used in textile and paper dyeing, had been used to make dishes more visually appealing. The Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, strictly limit the use of synthetic colors in food items like cotton candy and forbid their use altogether in dishes such as gobi manchurian.
As the government increases scrutiny of harmful food additives, consumers are urged to stay informed and make safer choices when purchasing baked goods.
(With inputs from agencies)
