A warning has been issued after illegal colouring – which could cause cancer – was discovered in some traditional Asian sweets.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards said samples taken from several outlets across the region were found to contain dyes called Rhodamine B and Auramine.
Rhodamine B, which is commonly used to stain slides in laboratories and in the sewage industry to test for leaks in drains, is green in powder form but, when added to water, turns a vivid fluorescent pink. Auramine is a yellow/orange colour in both powder and liquid forms.
A Trading Standards spokesman said: “Investigations indicate the products containing this ingredient are not coming from a single supplier and, subsequently, not all sources have been identified.
“Under UV light, the illegal dyes will fluoresce, which may assist businesses and consumers in identifying any product they are concerned about.”
Councillor Val Slater, chairman of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards committee, said: “These brightly-coloured sweets, made from milk and sugar, are especially attractive to children, therefore it is important they are removed from sale. Anyone who has a concern should contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 040506.”