Issued By West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service

ILLEGAL COLOUR IN FOOD –NEW WARNING

Following earlier Food Hazard Warnings issued over the last few months about contaminated chilli powder containing an illegal dye, Sudan 1, a potentially cancer causing chemical, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service and local Environmental Health Departments are issuing warnings to retailers, caterers and consumers about another product, which the Food Standards Agency has identified as containing Sudan 1 and which has been distributed in the North of England and Midlands.
The latest products known to be contaminated with the dye are the Chenab and Supreme Tandoori Masala mixes and Laziza Pasanda brand of Masala Spice Mix distributed by Lubna Foods of Bradford. Although the company has undertaken a trade withdrawal, officers will be visiting retail premises in the county as the following affected products may remain on sale:

Product Chenab Supreme Quality Tandoori Masala Pack size 100 and 400g Best Before End August 2006
Product Chenab Tandoori Masala Pack size 5kg Best Before End August 2006
Product Supreme Tandoori Masala Pack size 1kg Best Before End September 2005
Product Laziza Pasanda Masala Spice Mix with Garlic and Ginger Pack size 100g Best Before End October 2005

No other Chenab, Supreme or Laziza product is known to be affected. Photographs of the affected product can be found on the FSA website at https://www.food.gov.uk./
Sudan 1 is not a permitted food colour and is believed to be a genotoxic carcinogen and its presence, at any level, is not allowed in any foodstuffs. The products present a health risk if consumed in sufficient quantity, and do not comply with the food safety requirements specified in the Food Safety Act 1990 due to the contamination.
Martin Wood, Chief Trading Standards Officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service said: “Although there is no immediate threat of illness, those most at risk would be people eating contaminated products regularly over a long time, anyone who has one of these products at home should throw it away. Retailers, takeaways and restaurants should not sell or use them. They should be destroyed or returned.”
Councillor Graham Clarke, Chairman of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service added: “Despite the warnings and action taken so far, there is still more to do to ensure that no consumers are adversely affected. I would like to appeal, via the media, to retailers to check their stock and remove all contaminated products and to consumers to check their food cupboards. Anyone with any concerns or who sees any product on sale should contact the West Yorkshire Consumer Helpline on 0113 3 848 848”.

For further information contact:
Carol Hallett General Media Contact 0113 383 6407
Graham Hebblethwaite Divisional Manager 0113 289 8218
Andrew Bibby Principal Officer 0113 289 8237
Steven Kaye Principal Officer 0113 289 8229