Bihar government BANS Pan Masala Brands

Mr Kumar said 20 samples of Pan Masala of various brands were collected from different districts of the state for test and analysis from June to August 2019. He said all the samples were found to contain magnesium carbonate as an ingredient in it. All 20 samples of Pan Masala collected under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006).

Mr Kumar said it has been found as per scientific research that consumption of Pan Masala for years together leads to Acute Hyper Magnesia and sometimes leads to cardiac arrest. Pan Masala is an article of food, which contains Magnesium Carbonate as an ingredient and thus contravenes Regulation 3.1.7 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives), Regulations, 2011.

"It is expedient in the interest of public health to prohibit the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation or sale of Pan Masala containing Magnesium Carbonate in the State of Bihar, being food products in which Magnesium Carbonate is widely used as ingredients," the order stated.

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