Agri. & Environ.
China: Duck eggs contaminated with Sudan Red I
By
Nov 18, 2006, 17:33

In China, duck eggs with red yolk command a much higher price than their counterparts as such duck eggs are found more nutritious. But not all red yolk eggs are as good as thought.

Recently, Chinese health officials have found that the red color found in many duck eggs is actually caused by a cancer-causing agent known as Sudan Red I, a toxic industrial colorant. Farmers used this toxic colorant illegally in duck feed to make the duck egg yolk red.

Artificial colors are commonly used in many foods, legally or otherwise. In the US, some artificial red colorant is used for the red color of farmed salmon, which is otherwise not as red as the wide salmon.

In the case of duck eggs, Sudan Red I is not supposed to be used in anything that would end up in foods. In China, it's not uncommon that farmers illegally use antibiotics, human contraceptives and other toxic chemicals to raise poultry and fish.


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