Food safety officials have warned consumers against artificially coloured papads, appalams and fryums, particularly products aimed at children.
Colourful Papads Warning Raises Food Safety Concerns
Colourful papads, appalams and fryums may appear attractive on store shelves, but the Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department has advised consumers to avoid products containing artificial colouring agents. In a public awareness message, the department said brightly coloured snacks may contain synthetic chemicals that are not permitted for use in papad and related products.
Officials warned that repeated consumption of products prepared with prohibited or unsafe colouring substances could contribute to digestive problems, allergies, kidney damage and possible long-term cancer risks. These health claims should be understood as a warning about unsafe or unauthorised additives rather than proof that every colourful snack causes disease.
Papads are widely consumed with meals or as evening snacks, while colourful fryums are particularly popular among children. Manufacturers may add bright shades to make these inexpensive products appear more attractive. Consumers, however, cannot determine whether a colour is safe simply by looking at the product.
Colourful Fryums May Contain Unapproved Dyes
The department urged families to choose plain rice appalams or urad dal papads instead of unusually bright red, green, pink, orange or yellow varieties. It also cautioned that children could be more likely to experience allergic reactions after consuming snacks containing unsuitable synthetic colours.
Consumers should be cautious when buying papads or fryums that:
• Have excessively bright or fluorescent colours
• Are sold without labels or sealed packaging
• Do not display an FSSAI licence or registration number
• Have no manufacturer, ingredient or expiry information
• Leave colour on the hands, water or cooking oil
• Are sold unusually cheaply in loose quantities
Bright colouring alone does not confirm that a product is unsafe, as some foods may contain permitted ingredients. However, missing labels, unusually intense shades and unidentified manufacturers are important warning signs.
Colourful Papads Seizure Happened In 2022
The latest warning has also brought renewed attention to a major enforcement operation in Madurai. Food safety officials sealed a papad-making unit and warehouse after finding approximately 22.2 tonnes of artificially coloured papads and fryums stored illegally.
That seizure was reported on February 1, 2022, following an inspection conducted the previous day. Officials said the products included colours such as carmoisine, tartrazine, sunset yellow and ponceau 4R. Samples were collected for laboratory analysis, while the premises and stored goods were sealed.
Some recent coverage described the seizure as occurring “earlier this year,” but the available dated report confirms that the Madurai operation took place in January 2022. The incident nevertheless illustrates why authorities continue to raise awareness about unauthorised colouring in popular snacks.
Colourful Papads: How Consumers Can Stay Safe
Families can lower food-safety risks by purchasing packaged papads from recognised manufacturers and checking the label before buying. The ingredients list, batch number, expiry date, manufacturer details and FSSAI registration should be clearly printed.
Consumers can also select naturally coloured or plain papads made with rice, urad dal, moong dal or other familiar ingredients. Preparing papad at home provides greater control over the ingredients, although hygiene, drying and storage remain important.
Any product with an unusual smell, staining colour, damaged packaging or missing information should be avoided. Suspected adulterated food can be reported to local food safety officials with the product name, shop location, photographs and purchase details.
The Tamil Nadu department’s message is clear: appearance should not be valued above safety. Choosing properly labelled, minimally coloured products is a more sensible option, particularly when buying snacks for children.
