Artificial colours found in fried green peas; 26 samples unsafe: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru, Feb 28 (PTI): After plastic sheets were found in idli steaming, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday said that artificial colours were detected in 26 samples of fried green peas collected by the Food Safety Department.
According to him, in February, 106 samples were collected and submitted to a laboratory for analysis to check for artificial colours in fried green peas. Of the 31 samples analysed so far, five were found to be safe, while 26 were deemed unsafe.
"This is a very worrying situation because artificial colours are being used in these green peas to make them look greener. Harmful substances like Tartrazine and Sunset Yellow, which are banned, have been detected. We have already begun taking action against those responsible. Legal measures, including fines, will also be imposed," he told reporters.
The analysis of the remaining samples is ongoing, and further legal action will be taken based on the results, he added. Similarly, as part of a special campaign, 288 samples of drinking water from bottled water brands were collected for analysis.
"The analysis is in progress, and we will share the results once they are available," Rao said. Rao also stated that in February, inspections were carried out at 681 hotels, restaurants, and street vendors to check for the use of plastic sheets in idli steaming. Notices were issued to 52 establishments found violating the rules by using plastic sheets for steaming idlis, he said.
"The use of plastic sheets for steaming idlis is strictly prohibited, as plastic should not come into contact with hot food. It can mix with the food, get ingested into the body, and become a permanent part of it. This can have harmful effects on organs and cells, and some of them suggest it may contribute to cancer and other diseases. We have taken serious note of this issue," he added.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
