23-03-2004, 09:34 PM
Food colourings linked to hyperactivity, asthma and even cancer have been detected in chicken tikka masala, one of the UK's favourite dishes.
Random tests ordered by Trading Standards officers in Surrey suggest 57 per cent of Indian restaurants in the county use "illegal and potentially dangerous'' levels of dyes to give the sauce its distinctive orange-red hue.
The figure is highlighted in a hard-hitting report being unveiled by Ready Steady Cook chef James Martin on behalf of Surrey County Council.
But consumer safety experts fear the findings could reflect a trend reaching far beyond the county's borders.
Trading Standards officers launched an investigation, limited to chicken tikka masala, after uncovering evidence that "worrying'' numbers of restaurants were flouting the law despite earlier education campaigns.
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Officers ordered the dish from restaurants selected at random across the county and sent the curries to an independent laboratory for testing.
Out of 102 curry houses sampled, only 44 were using the colourings within legal limits. One restaurant, in Woking, was using four times the legal limit of colouring in its curry.
Trading Standards now plans to test every curry house in the county.
Phil Thomas, from the Trading Standards Institute, said: "We have evidence to suggest this is a national problem, not just specific to Surrey, and we are urging trading standards services across the UK to work with Indian restaurants in their area to ensure the amount of colourants used is within the legal limits.''
Random tests ordered by Trading Standards officers in Surrey suggest 57 per cent of Indian restaurants in the county use "illegal and potentially dangerous'' levels of dyes to give the sauce its distinctive orange-red hue.
The figure is highlighted in a hard-hitting report being unveiled by Ready Steady Cook chef James Martin on behalf of Surrey County Council.
But consumer safety experts fear the findings could reflect a trend reaching far beyond the county's borders.
Trading Standards officers launched an investigation, limited to chicken tikka masala, after uncovering evidence that "worrying'' numbers of restaurants were flouting the law despite earlier education campaigns.
Are you worried about what you eat?
Chat about the latest stories
Have your say on the message board
Officers ordered the dish from restaurants selected at random across the county and sent the curries to an independent laboratory for testing.
Out of 102 curry houses sampled, only 44 were using the colourings within legal limits. One restaurant, in Woking, was using four times the legal limit of colouring in its curry.
Trading Standards now plans to test every curry house in the county.
Phil Thomas, from the Trading Standards Institute, said: "We have evidence to suggest this is a national problem, not just specific to Surrey, and we are urging trading standards services across the UK to work with Indian restaurants in their area to ensure the amount of colourants used is within the legal limits.''