Four of South Africa's biggest supermarkets are pulling several products off the shelves after reports suggested they contain a potentially cancer-causing dye that has been banned worldwide.
The Sunday Times in South Africa launched an investigation several weeks ago on a number of products sold at the supermarkets. Forensic tests discovered the presence of a dye, called Sudan Red that has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The dye is used to color gasoline, waxes and cosmetics, as well as floor and shoe polish. However, the newspaper's investigation also found the dye in some food products, including chili powder.
The dye was behind a food scare last month in Britain where many products were removed from store shelves.
The Sunday Times says the new recall stretches as far as Zimbabwe, Mauritius and India.
Some information for this report provided by AFP.
