Substances like Red Dye 3 (Erythrosine), Titanium Dioxide (E171), and preservatives such as BHA/BHT are widely used to enhance color, texture, and shelf life, even though studies link them to risks like cancer, DNA damage, and hyperactivity in children. These chocolate packages such as gems, melody, eclairs, kismi etc contain these chemicals and on back side of this chocolate contains this information but who has time to read this notice. It is such an irony, same as people know smoking is injurious to health but then to consume it
The difference arises because Europe follows a strict precautionary principle—banning chemicals if there’s evidence of harm—while India’s food safety rules under FSSAI remain more permissive and slower to adopt global bans. As a result, Indian consumers are exposed to additives that are no longer allowed in chocolates abroad, making label awareness and preference for safer, organic, or EU-standard brands especially important.
SOURCE- FSSAI
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