Far reaching and fiercely debated legislation is underway in Ireland to control, with ever increasing regulation, what foodstuffs can be sold and used in manufacturing – and rightly so.
In 2005, we have had yet another food outrage in Europe, not this time caused by BSE or foot-and-mouth disease, but by the seemingly harmless dry ingredient, Sudan 1, a banned carcinogenic food dye used in making red chilli powder. Most recent statistics reveal this substance contaminated more than 600 products, and has spread to 14 European Union (EU) countries. It is estimated that to recall just one of the affected products costs – including sales loss, destruction, management time and consultants fees, plus the ‘softer’ costs such as brand damage – in excess of €150m (£102m).
