consumer

Colorant poses health threat

Gabriel Rodríguez/LA PRENSA

toxic: Permicol has been found in several restaurants in Santiago. 959417

Eleven containers of the food colorant permicol were confiscated from restaurants in Santiago yesterday because their high lead content poses a threat to human health.

The operation was conducted by The Dirección Nacional de Protección de Alimentos (Depa) del Ministerio de Salud (Minsa). Roberto Fábrega, chief of the Depa in Veraguas, explained that the department has been going to restaurants, fondas, and even bakeries to verify that the product is not being used there.

He warned that permicol has been found in five restaurants so far but that his organization will continue looking elsewhere in order to prevent consumers from being exposed to dangerous substances.

The colorants authorities have removed are know commonly as raspberry red power h6259 and egg yellow power h7339.

Fábrega noted that product tests have revealed that the substance contains more than twice the permissible levels of lead concentrations, or 4.66 parts per million. The permissible level is only 2 parts per million.

The concentrations of lead are not reduced by the human digestive system. On the contrary, they can reach levels that could cause severe lesions in internal organs.

Moreover, Fábrega said, the product has not been certified by health authorities and entered the country illegally.

The restaurants in Santiago where permicol was found are Cantón, Piramidal, La Huaca, Kelvin and Chicheme Chorrerano.