FSA News Item, 28 January 2004
A new European Commission (EC) decision has extended measures to stop chilli products contaminated with a chemical dye from being imported into member states.
Since July 2003, cargoes of dried, crushed or ground chilli arriving in ports must be accompanied by a certificate showing they have been tested and found to be free of Sudan I, a dye that some spice producers in India had been using in their products. The EC has now extended this requirement to cover Sudan II, III and IV. These are similar chemical dyes to Sudan I which have been found in some chilli products.
Also, any imported curry powder must carry a certificate to show it is free of these banned chemicals.
Any consignment that does not have a certificate will be detained by port officials for sampling and analysis, and any product found to be contaminated would be destroyed.
Also, local authorities will now extend their sampling of chilli products to include the other types of Sudan dye.
These new regulations came into force in England on 27 January 2004.