Artificial Flavours - must know this for all

Despite stringent regulations by FSSAI , a number of non-permitted colours like auramine (yellow), metanil yellow, lead chromate, rhodamine (pink), sudan III & IV (red) and orange II are used for colouring many food items.

How food colours ruin your health

Auramine: Auramine is known to retard growth and damage kidneys and liver. Owing to its bright yellow colour, it is used to colour beverages.
Metanil yellow: Widely used in Indian sweets like jalebis and ladoos, it is highly dangerous as it causes degenerative changes in the lining of the stomach, kidneys and liver. It also adversely affects the ovaries and testes, proving to be dangerous to reproductive organs. It is commonly used to add colour to ladoos and biryanis and consumption of this colour has reported symptoms of giddiness, weakness and food poisoning.
Rhodamine: A major component of sweets and bright red-coloured drinks, it is known to break down red blood cells and adversely affect the immune system. It also causes growth retardation and damages the liver and kidneys.
Sudan dyes: Sudan dyes are also commonly used as the bright red colour is highly attractive and used to colour chilli powder or curry powder. It is not only highly toxic to the liver but also known to cause kidney lesions and is a probable carcinogen.
Lead chromate: Lead chromate is the bright yellow coloured dye which is also known chrome yellow. It is commonly added to turmeric powder, for imparting a bright colour. Lead chromate is highly dangerous as it causes anemia, abdominal pain, neurological problem, hypertension, foetal distress all leading to lead poisoning .
Permitted colours are equally harmful to health causing various ailments. The cherry red colour of erythrosine makes it quite popular among sweets, candy and popsicle manufacturers. It is also used in cake decorating gels and is known to damage your DNA and also interfere with the process of sperm formation and other functions of the pituitary gland1.
Natural dyes such as Annatto dyes which are commonly used in cheese, beverages and cereals are known to trigger allergic reactions like skin rashes characterised by red itchy bumps on the skin and angioedema.2.
Even though these food colours are permitted they are known to trigger certain reaction, which depends on the quantity of their consumption. One should be aware of synthetic as well as natural food colours they are exposed to every day and the possible repercussions they might have on your health.

Here's a list of all the food items in India, in which addition of food colours is permitted:

Food items and Maximum permissible level of colour
Ice cream, milk lollies, frozen desserts, flavoured milk, yoghurt, ice cream mix powder at 100
Biscuits including biscuit wafer, pastries, cakes, confectionery, thread candies, sweets and savouries at 100
Peas, strawberries and cherries in containers, preserved or processed papaya, canned tomato juice, fruit syrup, fruit squash, jellies, jam, marmalade, candied fruits at 200
Non-alcoholic carbonated and non carbonated ready to serve synthetic beverages, including synthetic syrups, sherbets, fruit bear, fruit beverages, fruit drinks and synthetic soft drink concentrates at 100
Custard powder at 100
Jelly crystal and ice-candy at 100 more