Panipuri and Cancer: Can Eating Gol Gappas Cause Cancer? All About Tatrazine – The Carcinogenic Chemical Found In The Yummy Street Food

Tartrazine harms white blood cells in every concentration tested after three hours of exposure

Who doesn’t like gol gappas or pani puris, especially in the monsoon? The tangy, yummy flavour with the spicy water makes it completely drool-worthy with people of all ages thronging their neighbourhood gol gappe wala bhaiya to savour this delectable street food. However, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India or FSSAI, Karnataka recently took 260 gol gappa samples in the state, out of which 41 failed the quality standards completely.

Another 18 samples were found to be unfit for human consumption, the report said.

According to the report, artificial colors and cancer-causing agents were found in all these samples along with poor-quality ingredients. Experts believe additives – which include artificial colours, and preservatives can cause serious diseases like cancer.

Chemicals like brilliant blue, sunset yellow, and tartrazine were found in Pani Puri samples “which can potentially cause various health issues,” Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters.

How does Tartrazine cause cancer?

Tartazine – popularly known as Yellow Five is a synthetic yellow food dye that is made from petroleum products. Also known as FD&C yellow #5, tartrazine adds colour to make foods and soft drinks look more appealing. In many countries, it is also approved for use in pills and other medications, and in personal care products such as skin care products, shampoo, and cosmetics.

According to health experts, tartrazine harms white blood cells in every concentration tested after three hours of exposure. In addition, various studies have also found that cells exposed the most could not heal themselves, significantly increasing the chances of tumour growth and life-threatening diseases like cancer.

Studies focus on the ways that tartrazine may:

• Be toxic to genes causing genotoxicity
• Be toxic to cells in the body, leading to cytotoxicity
• Cause genetic mutations or mutagenicity

Much of the research on yellow #5 is done through animal studies, and the evidence-based science on its impacts on humans remains lacking. However, the use of azo food dyes has been banned in other places outside of the United States.

Tartrazine increases oxidative stress

According to experts, tartrazine causes oxidative stress in animal studies, where rat tissues were tested for cancer. Another research found that oral administration of tartrazine accelerated the development of breast cancer in rats.

Also, some researchers believe that gastrointestinal tract cells may be more likely to develop cancer because they are directly exposed to tartrazine.

Ways to avoid tartrazine

Since tartrazine is found in lots of foods that you may be eating daily, it is not possible to completely eliminate it from your daily meals. However, doctors say a number of food products are labeled. Foods containing tartrazine include:

• Certain breakfast cereals
• Refrigerated rolls and quick breads
• Cake mixes
• Frozen pies
• Butterscotch chips
• Frostings
• Certain instant and regular puddings
• Certain ice creams and sherbets
• Certain candy coatings
• Hard candies
• Colored marshmallows
• Flavored carbonated beverages
• Flavored drink mixes

Tartrazine is used in many other products, including:

• Cosmetics and fragrances
• Hair care products, including dye
• Hand soaps, creams, and lotions
• Shaving products
• Pet care products

And so, the best way to avoid yellow #5 is to check the labels of these foods and products.
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