Biratnagar, November 19:

Dozens of sweet shops in Biratnagar have been found to have used inedible chemicals to add colour to the sweets to attract customers.

In a recent market monitoring, it was uncovered that these shops were abusing industrial chemical substance “Hydro” at the cost of the consumers’ health.

Kiran Neupane of the food research branch of the sub-metropolitan city office

said Panditji Mithai Pasal, Bikaner, Unique, New Makhanbhog, Jaisawal Misthanna Bhandar and Gokul Sweets were found to be selling adulterated sweets.

It was found that they had mixed inedible chemicals with peda, rasbari, barafi, laddu, julebi and bundiyan, he added. Lacing the sweets with harmful hydro gives them a bright colour, the sub-metropolitan city office claimed.

Such sweets can lead to liver malfunctioning and cancer, Neupane added.

According to the food research branch, factories manufacturing spices, ice cream and chocolates,

meat shops, hotels and restaurants use “champai” colour, which is also used in soaps

and paints. The use of champai can be fatal.

It was also found that aluchop, singada and pakauda sold in tea stalls are also laced with inedible chemicals.

Vegetable sellers and bakeries were also found to be using harmful chemicals to attract customers.

It was found that Malasaild was applied to parwal sold in Gudri bazaar in Biratnagar

to give it a bright green appearance. Certain bakeries were found to be using inedible chemical ‘Isht’ to give the loaves of bread a fluffy look.

Head of the food research branch in the Biratnagar sub-metropolitan city office, Tara Niraula, said their laboratory didn’t have adequate infrastructure to effectively check the abuse of harmful chemicals.