The sale of cotton candy has been banned in Puducherry after government officials found the usage of a toxic chemical in its making. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Thursday announced the ban in a video. Sharing the clip, on her official Instagram page, the governor urged the public to refrain from buying cotton candy for children, as the chemicals present in it harm overall health. In the video, Tamilsai Soundararajan revealed that the food safety officials have found the presence of Rhodamine-B, which is a toxic substance. The governor in the appeal said, “It has been found that a toxic substance named ‘Rhodamine B’ is being used in the cotton candies that are consumed by children and others in Puducherry.”
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The governor added that government officials have been instructed to inspect all the cotton candy-selling shops. If in case the presence of the toxic substance is found, the shops will be seized. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan added, “We have directed officials to inspect shops that are selling cotton candies, and they will be seized if the presence of this toxic substance is found in the cotton candies.”
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Urging all to make a conscious decision, the governor added, “People should be aware that food items having colour additives must not be given to children.”
Along with the clip, she wrote in the caption, “Don’t buy chemical cotton candy for children which affects the health of children…”, and ended with hashtags, “cotton candy”, “panchu mittai” and “Puducherry”.
However, those who procure a quality certificate from the food safety department will be allowed to sell cotton candy, as per the India Today report.
As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH.gov), Rhodamine B is often abbreviated as RhB and it is a chemical compound that functions as a dye.
The page states that RhB often enters the body when mixed with food and causes oxidative stress on cells and tissues. Not only this but the usage of Rhodamine B in food for a long time can also lead to severe health conditions like liver dysfunction or cancer.
Moreover, when a human body is exposed to large amounts over a short period, it results in acute poisoning.
