Sudan Red 'still a problem'

A Reading Scientific Services product story

Edited by the Laboratorytalk editorial team Mar 3, 2004

The European Commission extended the scope of a ban on Sudan Red I, after it was revealed that related chemicals were also being found in chilli products adulterated with Sudan Red I

Reading Scientific Services (RSSL) has responded to the European Commission's attempts to ban the import of products containing illegal dye, by developing a screening method for the four chemicals known as Sudan Red I, Sudan Red II, Sudan Red III and Sudan Red IV (Scarlet Red).

The European Commission extended the scope of a ban on Sudan Red I, after it was revealed that related chemicals were also being found in chilli products adulterated with Sudan Red I.

All are considered to be carcinogenic.

There is now an emergency measure in force dictating that chilli and chilli products, including curry powder, can only enter an EU country providing it has proof that these illegal chemical dyes are not present.

"There is now huge demand for all the imports to be tested and cleared," says Melindee Hastie who works in the authenticity laboratories at RSSL.

"We have developed a screening method that will give a reliable yes/no answer for the presence of Sudan Red I-IV, allowing importers to reject problem batches if necessary, and to be confident of imports that they accept.