Housewives from middle east countries mainly UAE and other Gulf states are worried over cancer causing chillies which are exported from a major Indian curry powder brand into these countries.It was reported a substance called Sudan4 which causes cancer was detected in these curry powders.
In Kerala, an eastern Condiments factory at Neeliyampeth in Kerala was raided and 1200 kilos of chili powder with Sudan dye was confiscated.
Sudan dye are red dyes used for colouring oils, waxes, petrol, shoes and floor polishes.
According to sources:
Eastern curry powders are widely distributed in the UAE and other Gulf countries, where the large number of Indian expatriates use the company’s products daily.
“I am confused about the social media reports about Eastern curry powder which I use often. It is better that dealers here address customer concerns,” said Asha Jacob, an Indian housewife in Dubai.
A report by the Spices Board of India confirms that a consignment of Eastern brand chilli powder was found with an overdose of Sudan 4.
Eastern curry powder’s brand manager in the UAE did not respond to Emirates 24|7 queries about the problem and officials of Jaleel Trading, the product’s wholesale distributor in the UAE, too did not respond to Emirates 24|7 queries.
According to Navas Meeran, an Eastern Condiments Pvt Ltd official, the reports in the social media are misleading. He denied that there was any raid on the company’s premises. In a letter addressed to customers, he said the company manufactures 1.1 million packets of curry powder for the domestic and international market and it is an ISO certified company. “The company’s products for the domestic market are inspected by the Food Authority of India and the international export consignment is tested by the Spices Board of India. As part of internal quality protocol, we destroy products which are not up to the standard and such products never enter the market, domestic or international,” he said in a letter addressed to Eastern curry powder customers.
“Don’t believe this malicious campaign and continue to use Eastern curry powder,” said the statement, widely distributed through the social networking sites Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.