UK – MacPhilips Foods Ltd, an African food import and distribution firm in UK, has been fined after distributing palm oil contaminated with dyes that could cause cancer.
Colchester Magistrates’ Court ordered MacPhilips Foods, previously based in Purfleet-on-Thames, to pay £6,000 (US$7,900) in fines, a £2,000 (US$2,600) victim surcharge, and £5,000 (US$6,600) in costs.
The company moved out of Thurrock and pleaded guilty to six charges under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, including failing to recall affected oil containing illegal Sudan dyes.
Sudan IV dye is used as a hue enhancer in palm oil despite the ban on food colorants due to its carcinogenicity and mutagenicity, as classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Industrial dyes are not permitted for human consumption due to their potential health risks, including a link to cancer.
The company manager, Andrew Ekechukwu, and director, Alexander Okoli, each pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay £600 (US$791) in fines and a £240 (US$316) victim surcharge.
In the courtroom, it was explained that the company complicated the recall procedure by not providing the requested information about the products. It took five months for MacPhilips Foods Ltd to send accurate information to enable the unsafe oil to be recalled.
At that time, trading standards officers visited local retailers and found contaminated oil at two premises. The Thurrock-based shops confirmed they had not been advised about a recall.
Victoria Holloway, the cabinet member for place and the environment, said, “Thanks to the efforts of our trading standards team, the contaminated oil has been removed from the market, despite delays caused by the company’s poor recordkeeping.”
“We take the health and wellbeing of our residents seriously and will continue to act on reports of contaminated or illegal goods.”
Palm oil is a bright reddish-orange oil produced from the mesocarp of the fruits of oil palm trees. It is very nutritious and has many uses around the world.
This type of oil is currently the most used oil in the food industry, as it is present in almost all ready-to-eat foods. This market is driven by palm oil’s low cost and its convenient usage, including its ability to easily decolorize and its semi-solid nature at temperatures lower than 25°C.
Recently, due to the rise in the utilization of palm oil, especially in ready-to-eat meals, it has become a preferential target for counterfeiting and adulteration.
The use of Sudan IV as an adulterant to improve the hue of palm oil is on the rise because it is low cost, provides bright colors, and is widely available and easily accessible. Sudan IV dye is a fat-soluble azo-dye used as an industrial colorant for tiles, polishes, and other industrial products.
