Coloured teas or teas mixed with colours to give them a rich golden hue are becoming a menace in the southern states and Maharashtra. The apex body of packet tea players, Federation of All India Traders Association (FAITTA), which has representatives from some of the leading packet tea players such as Tata Global Beverages, HUL and Wagh Bakri, has taken up the issue with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) so that sales of coloured teas can be checked and consumers are not duped.

“In recent times, coloured teas have become a real problem in South India and Maharashtra. In Gujarat, the situation has improved overall. There may be some stray cases, but it is not as rampant as in South India and Maharashtra,” FAITTA chairman Viren Shah told ET. “We have taken up the matter with the FSSAI and the Tea Board. The only way to curb this problem is to take legal action against unscrupulous traders and retailers.”

The FSSAI’s regulation on tea says, “The product shall be free from extraneous matter, added colouring matter and harmful substances.”

There are some permitted colours which are nontoxic and are allowed to be used in different food products such as sweets and fruit juice. The FSSAI permits use of eight synthetic colours in specific food items and tea is not included in that list.

“There is no such provision for use of colour in tea,” said a senior Tea Board of India executive, who did not wish to be identified. “The Tea Board strongly advises to follow the guidelines of FSSAI for not using any colour in tea which creates problems for food safety, human health, tea trade and quality. Violation of the guidelines may attract legal action.”

Parag Desai, executive director of Wagh Bakri, said: “Selling coloured teas has become rampant in South India in particular. We have taken up the matter with the FAITTA and the Tea Board. Retail shops are selling these teas to consumers which are not good for health. Planters too are upset about this.”

There is a way of identifying coloured tea, said the FAITTA chairman. If good quality tea is added to cold water, then the colour will not disperse from the tea. Colour will only disperse when it is added to hot water.

On the contrary, coloured teas will disperse an orange red hue when they are added to cold water. Tea Board executives said they are conducting an awareness programme on coloured teas so that consumers are not taken for a ride.