China’s Chili Products Contain Cancer-causing Chemical

A trade watchdog in China has detected a cancer-causing industrial dye in chili paste and red chili power products.

Several supermarkets and factories in Hunan province have been punished for selling and producing the products dyed with chemical compound Rhodamine B, a banned food additive.

Fact Sheet on Food Poisoning
Consuming foods that have been contaminated with pathogens such as E.coli, Salmonella or Campylobacter, can cause food poisoning.

The Changsha Industrial and Commercial Bureau revoked the license of a company while a dealer was fined tens of thousands of yuan, the Shanghai Daily reported Saturday.

The dye was added in order to improve the appearance of the products.

Hunan cuisine is known for being dry-hot, as distinct from the numbing-hot flavors of Sichuan cuisine. However, both provinces have been hit by the dyed pepper scandal.

Organic Foods - 'Natural products'
Organic Foods are produced by the ‘natural method’, without the use of chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers or sewage sludge.

Rhodamine B was first detected in hotpot seasonings in Chongqing in March 2011.

Source-IANS

Food Additives - Types Functions Miscellaneous Fast Foods Conclusions FAQs
A food additive is a non-nutritive substance added deliberately to any food product to improve its color, texture, flavor or shelf life

Food Preservatives - How Safe Are They?
Food preservatives are basically antimicrobials or anti-oxidants that help preserve food by destroying the microbes and stopping decomposition of food products.