MP Priyanka Chaturvedi Demands Urgent Action On Carcinogenic Dye Found In Roasted Chana
MP Priyanka Chaturvedi Demands Urgent Action On Carcinogenic Dye Found In Roasted Chana
Mumbai, November 25, 2025: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has written to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, raising serious concerns over the illegal use of Auramine—a carcinogenic industrial dye—in roasted chana and other food products. She cited recent findings that the dye, commonly used in textiles and leather processing, is being added to food items to enhance appearance, violating the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Highlighting the grave health hazards, Chaturvedi noted that Auramine is classified by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer as a potential carcinogen.
Exposure has been linked to liver, kidney, and bladder cancers, as well as neurological disorders. Despite these risks, she said the adulteration continues unchecked.
The Rajya Sabha MP criticised gaps in food safety enforcement, pointing to weak surveillance, delayed public advisories, inadequate compliance checks, and a lack of accountability among responsible authorities. She said these systemic failures have allowed the illegal practice to thrive without consequences.
Chaturvedi urged the Health Ministry to issue an immediate national health alert and conduct nationwide testing of roasted chana and similar products. She also sought strict inspections, hefty penalties, imprisonment for violators, and stronger oversight from state health departments.
Calling for an internal audit of FSSAI protocols, she said it was crucial to identify the lapses that enabled such severe regulatory breaches. She stressed that the use of carcinogenic dyes in food is “an unacceptable threat to public safety” and called for swift intervention to restore consumer confidence in India’s food safety system.
