Cotton Candy? The word itself takes you back to your childhood memories with this nostalgic snack. But for those who don’t know, it is a soft-spun sugar, which highly resembles cotton, but in vibrant colours of blue, pink, and yellow that melts in your mouth in a fraction of seconds.
However, the sale of this satisfying childhood snack is now forbidden in Puducherry as the shops of the same were raided by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India, led by P Satheesh Kumar. This iconic snack is banned by the state government as toxic chemicals are used in the process of making these confections.
This raid started in Chennai’s Marina Beach area in last week and days later the same practice was continued in Puducherry, where officials confirmed that Cotton Candy has a presence of synthetic dyes, which is harmful for consumption, especially for children. The Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan also reported, tests were conducted in the laboratory, the chemical infused in the floss is ‘Rhodamine-B’. This dye used in preparations of candies is usually utilised for industrial purposes, and consumption of this can lead to cancer and organ failure.
According to Soundararajan, “Those who have not got the quality certificate can immediately approach the food safety department and get it. After that, they can start selling Cotton Candy. Until then, the sale of Cotton Candy is banned”. Officials also stated that if the rules are violated by any sellers, harsh measures would be taken.
Ultimately, these candies and other foods are mainly popular during festivals, or it has a regular selling spot near the beach areas where there is immense crowd. For that, the Lieutenant has demanded people to avoid food that contains colour additives.
