Many Pani Puri Samples Had Cancer-Causing Chemicals: Karnataka Minister

A popular street snack beloved by many, pani puri, could be facing stricter regulations due to concerns about potentially harmful ingredients. The Karnataka health department is investigating the use of cancer reagents in pani puri water, following reports of similar issues in other street foods.

This news comes on the heels of bans on artificial colouring in cotton candy, gobi manchurian, and kebabs. Officials from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have collected over 200 pani puri samples from various locations across the state, including street vendors, wedding halls, shopping malls, and areas near parks, educational institutions, and offices.

The Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has assured that the department will take appropriate action if the tests confirm the presence of cancer causing chemicals.

ಕಾಟನ್ ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಿ, ಗೋಬಿ ಹಾಗು ಕಬಾಬ್ ತಯಾರಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೃತಕ ಬಣ್ಣಗಳ ಬಳಕೆಯನ್ನು ನಿಷೇಧಿಸಿರುವಂತೆಯೇ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾರಾಟವಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವ #Panipuri ಮಾದರಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಗೆ ಕಳುಹಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಪಾನಿಪುರಿಯ ಹಲವು ಮಾದರಿಗಳೂ ಸಹ ಆಹಾರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆಯ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಫಲವಾಗಿದ್ದು ಇವುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ #Cancer ಕಾರಕ ಅಂಶಗಳಿರುವುದು…

— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) June 29, 2024

"As the use of artificial colours in the manufacture of cotton candy, gobi, and kebabs has been banned, the samples of Panipuri being sold in the state have been collected and sent for testing. Many samples of panipuri also failed food safety tests and were found to contain cancer reagents," he wrote.

"More analysis is being done on this, and after the test report, the health department will take appropriate action. At the same time, the general public should take special care of their health and refrain from consuming food items that affect our health. Great importance should be given to cleanliness and hygiene."

His tweet has gone viral, sparking a multitude of reactions in the comments section.

"Dinesh Sir, Hats up to you; you are doing a great job. Please ban ajinomoto (mono sodium glaucomate); it is widely used in fast foods, and some hotels use it in saagu and other North Indian masale preparations as well. It adds good taste to the food, but it is very dangerous to health," commented a user.

"This is concerning news. Food safety should be a priority everywhere. Let's hope for stricter regulations and better enforcement to protect public health," wrote another user.

"That shouldn't be surprising. Food safety laws in India are neglected by everyone," commented a third user.