EATS NOT OKAY Some Indian states ban mayo, cotton candy in crackdown on unsafe street food

It is a much-loved dip served with dumplings and shawarmas. But mayonnaise made from raw eggs has caught attention in India in recent months for the wrong reasons, highlighting India's wider street food safety problems.

- Debarshi Dasgupta

The southern state of Telangana banned the dip on Oct 30 for one year - outlawing its production, storage and sale - after a spate of food poisoning incidents, including one death, was linked to it.

A 31-year-old woman who ate momos, or dumplings, served with the dip from a street food vendor in Hyderabad died after experiencing severe food poisoning symptoms. Raw egg-based mayonnaise is known to carry a risk of salmonella infection if not prepared or stored properly.

Telangana's decision follows that of Kerala, a southern coastal state, which banned the dip in 2023.

But mayonnaise is not the only thing under scrutiny in recent months. Another much-loved food - cotton candy - was banned by several states in 2024, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, turning the spotlight on the addition of harmful artificial colours in food items.

This ban on cotton candy was instituted because of the unauthorised use of Rhodamine B, a carcinogenic colouring agent that gives the candy its trademark fluorescent pink-to-red hue.

The colouring agent, which is used legally for textiles and inks, is often diverted to the food industry because of its cheap cost and the industry's poor awareness about its harm. Its use in food items is not permitted by India's top food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Prolonged consumption of Rhodamine B can cause liver dysfunction or cancer and, when ingested in large amounts over a short period, can result in acute poisoning.

It was also banned by the southern state of Karnataka in March after the food authorities found that it was widely used not only for cotton candy, but also for gobi manchurian, a popular Indian-Chinese dish made with cauliflower.