[health-vn] Rhodamine B contamination, chili powder - Viet Nam

[Vern Weitzel]

Subject: PRO/MBDS> Rhodamine B contamination, chili powder - Viet Nam
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:27:07 -0500 (EST)
From: PRO/MBDS <promed-mbds at promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Reply-To: promedNOREPLY at promed.isid.harvard.edu
To: promed-mbds at promedmail.org

RHODAMINE B CONTAMINATION, CHILI POWDER - VIET NAM
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Date: Fri 15 Jan 2010
Source: Thanh Nien News [edited]
<http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8&newsid=54686>


A carcinogenic dye has been added to batches of chili powder in the
south central Binh Dinh Province to make it look tastier, local food
safety inspectors found Thursday [14 Jan 2010].

Inspectors said the powder at factories in My Chanh Commune, Phu My
District, tested positive for Rhodamine B, a poisonous dye compound
linked to cancer and banned from use as a food additive in Viet Nam.

Owners of the factories, which have been open for 7 years now, told
the officials they had mixed the chemical with ground cashew nuts
before adding the mixture to chili powder to make the color more appealing.

Chili powder products from Binh Dinh have been distributed to Hue, Da
Nang, and Dak Lak and Kon Tum Provinces in the Central Highlands, as
well as to Ho Chi Minh City, to be processed into spices for instant
noodles and dried seafood.

On Tuesday [12 Jan 2010], food safety officials in Thua Thien Hue
Province also found Rhodamine B-laced chili powder at the local Dong
Ba and An Cuu markets, where vendors said they bought the powder from
Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai provinces.

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds at promedmail.org>

[Rhodamine B contamination in foods has been reported recently in
Viet Nam. Previously, Rhodamine B was detected in dried melon seeds
from Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang province (see prior PRO/MBDS
postings listed below).

Rhodamine dyes are generally toxic, and are used extensively in
biotechnology applications such as fluorescence microscopy, flow
cytometry, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and ELISA. Some
studies have shown that it is carcinogenic in rats when injected
subcutaneously, producing local sarcomas. It has potentially toxic
and carcinogenic effects in humans. Toxicity can cause irritation of
the mucous membranes of the lungs, eyes, throat, nose and
gastrointestinal tract and red urine.

Rhodamine B was banned under the Food Regulation act of 1985, and
Food and Drug Ordinance of 1952. However, there were some reports of
its contamination of food in Viet Nam, Malaysia, India, Myanmar and
China during the past years. Myanmar had banned 101 kinds of fish
paste due to Rhodamine B contamination during May 2009, see
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/02/content_11300719.htm>.

For a map of Viet Nam with provinces, see
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VietnameseProvincesMap.png>. The
interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map with direct links to other
outbreaks in Viet Nam and surrounding countries reported on
ProMED-mail and PRO/MBDS can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/008O>. - Mod.YMA]

[see also:
Rhodamine B contamination, dried melon seeds - Viet Nam: HCMC 20100107.0064
2009
----
Rhodamine B contamination, dried melon seeds - Viet Nam: Da Nang 20091213.4239]
.......................................................yma/msp/yma

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