NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Beware! The vegetables and green peas you eat could be unsafe for human consumption, as malachite green – a hazardous toxic dye is being used by vendors to give the vegetables that are available in the local market the green colour.
According to sources in the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), malachite green is a common adulterant and colouring agent, which is found in green peas and other green vegetables because of its green colour.
Sources said that if it is consumed in any form, it could prove to be harmful and lead to serious health issues, even death, if consumed on a regular basis.
“This adulteration is normally done by small vendors. Artificial colours are not permitted because of their toxicity and they could be carcinogenic,” the sources said.
Three Margao residents, who had visited the Gandhi Market on October 15 had purchased green peas only to find the peas discharging a green colour when they were washed using water before cooking. The same was reported by this daily the next day.
Sources said that the colour could be malachite green, a toxic agent which is used by the vendors to ‘mask the fading colour and to give a fresh look’ to the vegetables.
“Colour of vegetables is always of its own source and over a period of time, the colour tends to fade as days pass by, so to make the vegetables appear fresh, vendors use artificial colour,” the sources explained.
They said that as per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) rule, no colour is permitted in vegetables. Also, there is no provision in the FSSAI laws for the use of artificial colours for vegetables.
The sources also said that a certain hazardous chemical, which is blue in colour, is also used by vendors and after applying it to vegetables, the colour of the vegetables turns into dark green.