Artificially coloured vegetables pose health hazards in UP

Lucknow, Sep 10 (UNI) Even as the sale of adulterated dairy products has shaken the state Health department out of their slumber, traders and vendors across the state are freely selling dyed vegetables.

While the Health department and Municipal Corporation authorities claim they were yet to receive any report on sale of such vegetables, the fact remains that dyed green vegetables are being sold in mandis and through street hawkers in a blatant manner.

Mr S K Singh, the Lucknow Municipal Commissioner, however, said he was aware of the problem and the health department of Nagar Nigam would soon launch a sustained drive against sale of 'dyed' vegatables in the state capital.

The state government had recently launched a crackdown on sale of adulterated dairy products, including 'ghee', 'paneer' and milk. Of late, reports on the sale of adulterated vegetable oil too had created ripples in the government circles.

A cursory survey of Narhi, Kaiserbagh, Dubagga, Indranagar and Telibagh fruit and vegetable markets in the state capital revealed the open sale of such vegetables. Most of the vegetables vendors were found to be clueless about the artificial colours and dyes being used on vegetables and said they procured vegetables from the wholesale market but admitted that the 'good' look of vegetables always attracted more customers.

Traders were found to be using chemicals like chromate, rhodamin-B and metnail yellow to adulterate food items. These chemicals in long run can cause skin diseases, cancer, liver problems, infection of the intestines and even abortions.

A look at the main mandis of the state capital reveal that wholesellers, and at time smaller suppliers use dyes and even cheap fabric paint to colour vegetables to earn an extra buck. The vegetable which can easily be dyed are spinach, snake gourd, bottle gourd and bitter gourd to make them appear fresh. Recently, carrot and bulb-shaped red radish used for salads have also been added in the list of vegetables dyed by sellers for an extra rupee.

The vegetables are first dipped in a drum full of water added with a cheap colour/dye and left for a few hours. The 'operation' is usually carried out by vendors themselves with the connivance of the wholeseller or trader.

City doctors claimed that dyed vegetables can be consumed if they are cleaned in lukewarm water. ''Cold or room temprature water cannot remove the colour or dye,'' a doctor said.

UNI