From BBC website - Illegal Food colouring

[Guest guest]

A further 19 food products have been withdrawn from sale in the UK

because they contain the banned dye Para Red.

 

The colouring, which may cause cancer, was found in cayenne pepper

used as an ingredient in the goods.

 

The FSA says the risk to health is very small but its latest list

means there are now 66 products it is advising people not to eat

because of the dye.

 

Its list includes Fajita meal kits from Tesco and Asda and two snacks

by Pataks.

 

People who have any of the foods at home can obtain a refund by

contacting the manufacturer or the store where they bought it, the FSA

said.

 

'Sensible' precaution

 

The FSA first issued a warning about 35 products containing Para Red

on 5 May. A further 12 products, including some pates under the Weight

Watchers and Castle MacLellan brands, were named in a list published

the following day.

 

According to the FSA, Para Red is chemically similar to Sudan 1, a

potential carcinogen that was found in a batch of Worcester Sauce.

 

The FSA says its independent scientific experts have advised that

while there is very limited data available about Para Red, " it would

be prudent to assume that it could be a...carcinogen " .

 

The contaminated spice is thought to have originated in Uzbekistan and

been supplied by a Spanish company.

 

" At the levels found, the risk from eating any of these foods is very

small, but as a precaution it would be sensible not to eat them, " the

FSA said.