A massive percentage of pani puri samples fail quality test: FSSAI

When it comes to the most famous street food, pani puri always tops the list. And this is the same dish that often tops the list of most unhygienic food because of the way vendors offer it with bare hands. As per the latest report, now this famous street food has failed the safety standards of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) too.

A recent inspection by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in Karnataka has revealed that nearly 22 percent of pani puri samples collected from across the state have failed the safety standards.

This drill took place a few days after the banning of artificial food colouring in kebabs across Karnataka and FSSAI reportedly collected pani puri samples randomly from 79 places across Karnataka, with 49 of them being from various parts of Bengaluru.

The action was taken after FSSAI received numerous complaints regarding the quality of pani puri being sold across Karnataka.

As per reports, of the 260 samples collected, 41 were found to contain artificial colouring agents and potentially cancer-causing chemicals in the sauce and meetha chilli powder, rendering them unfit for consumption. An additional 18 samples were deemed to be of poor quality.

As per FSSAI, chemicals like brilliant blue, sunset yellow, and tartrazine were the primary agents that failed the safety standard of street food. If health experts are to be believed, excessive consumption of these chemicals may lead to various health issues including stomach ache, heart disease, and also auto-immune disorder.

For the uninitiated, brilliant blue, specifically Brilliant Blue FCF (also known as FD&C Blue No. 1 or E133), is a synthetic dye commonly used in foods, beverages, and cosmetics. It's excessive use in food can lead to skin allergy and itching. It is not good for kids and may contribute to hyperactivity and attention-related issues in them. Consuming large amounts of Brilliant Blue can sometimes cause digestive issues such as abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. These effects are generally rare and usually occur with excessive consumption.

Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow food dye and is made from petroleum products. This synthetic color is added to make foods and, of course, drinks look more appealing. It is also called E102, Yellow Lake 69, Food Yellow 4, Arctic Yellow 23, and Trisodium.As per experts, the most common side effects of excessive consumption of tartrazine are urticaria, angioedema (swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, and neck caused by the release of histamine in an allergic reaction), asthma, skin rashes, and food intolerance leading to vomiting. As per a research on the use of artificial food colorings (AFC) in children, it has been found that large doses (50 milligrams or more) cause a greater negative effect on children than on those who received less. It is also said that use of tartrazine is associated with genotoxic (damaging DNA). This damage could cause genetic mutations leading to cancer.

What do you think of such food contamination and what safety measures can be taken to handle such cases? Share your thoughts in the comment section.