Cotton candy is banned over cancer fears: Indian state rules the treat loved by children around the world is dangerous

An Indian state has banned cotton candy after ruling that the treat loved by children around the world is dangerous.

Last week, Tamil Nadu, a southern state, imposed the ban after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the carcinogen Rhodamine-B in samples sent for analysis.

Earlier this month, union territory Puducherry banned cotton candy, while other states started testing samples. BBC news reports.

The delicacy, also called buddi-ka-baal, meaning old woman’s hair, is beloved by children around the world and appears at fairs and amusement parks.

However, some Indian officials say it is deceptively harmful.

P Satheesh Kumar, food safety officer in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu state, said The Indian Express newspaper that contaminants in the candy “could cause cancer and affect all organs in the body.”

His team infiltrated candy vendors on one of the city’s beaches last week. Kumar said the cotton candy sold there was the product of independent sellers and not registered factories.

A few days later, the government banned the sale of the candy after laboratory tests discovered the presence of rhodamine-B in the samples.

The chemical compound produces a bright pink color, which is also used for cosmetics, textile dyes and inks.

Studies have shown that rhodamine-B may increase the risk of cancer. It is illegal to use it in Europe and California to dye food.

When the ban was implemented in Tamil Nadu, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said in a statement that the use of Rhodamine-B in the “packaging, importation, sale of food or serving of food containing it at weddings and other events public would be punishable under the Food Safety Law. and Standards Act 2006”.

The neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh has also reportedly begun testing cotton candy samples to determine whether they contain traces of rhodamine-B.

The New India Express newspaper reported earlier this week that food safety officials in Delhi were also increasing pressure to ban the sweet.