Gobi Manchurian Sales Drop By 80% In Bengaluru After Govt Ban On Rhodamine-B

The sale of Gobi Manchurian in Bengaluru has reportedly plummeted following the Karnataka government's ban on Rhodamine-B, a colorant used in the dish. According to The Hans India, vendors experienced an 80% drop in sales due to the dish's natural color, without any added coloring agents.

One vendor shared with the publication, "People are no longer interested in Gobi Manchurian because it lacks its usual appearance without the coloring agent. Previously, I would earn at least ₹10,000 per day, but now, making ₹5,000 is a challenge. The return on investment is not satisfactory." Business owners attempted to use natural food coloring agents to enhance the dish's visual appeal.

Earlier, the Karnataka government imposed a complete ban on Rhodamine-B, commonly used in Gobi Manchurian and cotton candy.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated, "We conducted a special drive on Gobi Manchurian and discovered the use of harmful Rhodamine-B. This coloring agent poses health risks, leading to our decision to prohibit its use. Failure to comply with the government's directive can result in seven years to life imprisonment, along with fines of up to ₹10 lakh."

Rao emphasized that additional drives would target other food items containing harmful coloring agents.

In a similar move, the Tamil Nadu government prohibited the sale and consumption of cotton candy after detecting the presence of harmful Rhodamine-B and textile dye.