What is Auramine O, banned industrial dye found in roasted chickpeas?

Sumit Jha

Nov 30, 2025

Health

Health

Last week, a Rajya Sabha MP wrote to the Union Health Minister after a viral video showed vendors mixing Auramine O into roasted chickpeas to make them appear brighter and fresher.

Health

MP Priyanka Chaturvedi demands nationwide testing and stricter enforcement after the substance, classified by the WHO as potentially carcinogenic, turned up in one of India’s common snacks.

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Auramine O exists as yellow crystals or powder that workers in textile mills spray onto fabrics, leather goods, and paper products. 

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The Food Safety and Standards Act banned Auramine O from food in 2006 because studies showed it harms living cells when consumed or absorbed through skin.

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified technical-grade Auramine O as Group 2B—possibly causing cancer in humans.