Two major supermarkets have withdrawn six products contaminated with the cancer-causing Sudan chemical dyes, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.
The newspaper had laboratory tests carried out on spices bought randomly from supermarkets countrywide.
Pick ‘n Pay and Shoprite removed the products after results of the analysis done by SGS South Africa — a leading laboratory which does regular Sudan testing for some major industry players — revealed that of the samples tested, six were contaminated with one or more of the Sudan dyes.
They were classified as potentially cancer-causing by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation.
The products included peri-peri spice made by Robertsons — a Unilever company with the lion’s share of the spice market — and two Taj Mahal spice products made by Osman’s Spice Works, a large spice merchant.
On Friday Pick ‘n Pay responded swiftly to the alert, withdrawing all implicated products.
”Should further tests confirm the results from the Sunday Times, we will be extremely angry that any supplier would pointedly ignore our directive and potentially put consumers at risk,” said Nick Badminton, the retailer’s chief executive .
In 2005 the Sunday Times had similar tests carried out and 13 products were found to have be contaminated.
Six of these products had again been found to contain the banned industrial colourant, just two years after the initial tests.
Marketing director of the Shoprite, Brian Weyers, said he was dismayed that products laced with the banned substance had again found their way into the market.
”This comes despite written confirmation from the food manufacturing industry that the country’s spice is free from the dye.
”The Shoprite Group has removed products that are suspected to contain Sudan,” Weyers told the paper, adding that the group was disappointed that major suppliers did not abide by food safety regulations.
Sudan dyes were legally used to colour petrol, waxes, floor and shoe polish and cosmetics.
Just a kilogram would colour tens of thousands of litres of oil and turn 50-million candles orange.
They are used illegally in foods to enhance the colour of chilli powders.
The newspaper quoted health department spokesperson Sibani Mngadi as saying an urgent meeting had been called by the department with the Consumer Goods Council, which represented manufacturers and retailers. – Sapa