Para Red and Sudan I dyes in Tesco BBQ rice cakes
Friday 29 April 2005
Supermarket chain Tesco has recalled batches of its own-brand 130g barbecue flavoured rice cakes because they were found to contain illegal dyes Sudan I and Para Red.
The Agency has issued a Food Alert for Information. The company has withdrawn the product from sale and will be telling customers via a notice on the shelf where it can normally be found.
All lot codes with 'best before end' dates of November and December 2005 have been withdrawn. No others are known to be affected.
Sudan I and Para Red
Both dyes are illegal under the 1995 Colours in Food Regulations 1995. Sudan I is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen.
Para Red is chemically very similar to Sudan I. The Agency�s independent scientific experts have advised that, although there is very limited data available, it would be prudent to assume that it could be a genotoxic carcinogen.
Food Alerts
Food alerts are the FSA's way of letting local authorities and consumers know about problems associated with food and, in some cases, providing details of specific action to be taken.
They are issued under two categories:
- Food Alerts: for Action
- Food Alerts: for Information