Illegal Dyes

What are Illegal Dyes?

Illegal dyes are industrial colour additives which are not approved for food use as they are genotoxic and/or carcinogenic. They are adulterants usually used to enhance the colour of a food to improve appearance. They are all illegal and controlled by legislation.

No illegal food dye allowed Sudan red Food safety is at the heart of our business

Typical Routes of Illegal Dye Contamination

  • Illegal dyes history indicates that contamination of foodstuffs including chillies can be either accidental or deliberate, the latter being for financial gain.
  • Whole chillies can be accidentally contaminated at harvest if dye leeches from the printing used on second-hand collecting sacks.
  • Deliberate contamination is more likely to occur in ground chillies, usually to enhance the colour of poor quality chillies which are pale.

How does the Chilli Doctor Technical Team Manage Illegal Dye Risk?

  • Awareness of the key points in the supply chain at which contamination is possible.
  • By having great and long-term relationships with our global growers and producers we can guarantee full traceability of our chillies from field to factory.
  • Assessing the level of supplier knowledge about illegal dye contamination both accidental and deliberately to ensure they have control.
  • Each size reduced chilli type is tested every harvest by an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory using an approved method to ensure legislative compliance in the country of sale.
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