“More than half the curry houses tested in a trading standards survey were using illegal levels of three potentially harmful colourings in chicken tikka masala.

The study… showed that of 102 curry houses tested, only 44 kept their use of colourings within legal limits. One restaurant was found to be using four times the legal limit in its dish.

The chef James Martin, who spoke at the publication of the survey report, blamed the “English palate” for the high levels of tartrazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110) and ponceau 4R (E124) in the nation’s most popular curry. The colourants have been identified as possible sources of hyperactivity, asthma and cancer.

He said that public perceptions about curry would have to be changed if standards were to be improved.” — Times of London