Indian sindoor poisonous: US Scientists

[Spring Onion]

Indian sindoor poisonous: US Scientists
Young children who regularly ingest Indian spices and ceremonial powders like vermilion, or sindoor, may be exposed to lead, a dangerous neurotoxin, an American study has claimed.

The study carried out by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health found that about 25 per cent of Indian spices available in the US such as cardamom, fenugreek and chili powder contain more than one microgram of lead per gram of product.

And about 65 per cent of the ceremonial powders such as vermilion — commonly used to mark newborn Indian infants for religious and cultural purposes — contained the same amount of the toxic heavy metal, the Time magazine reported.

The research, published in the latest issue of journal Pediatrics, was conducted after several reports of lead poisoning in Indian children in the Boston area were linked to consumption of Indian spices, said the report.

Though the levels are below the European Union’s acceptable threshold of two to three mcg/g of lead, the authors of the study said the presence of lead in these products, regardless of the amount, is a reason for concern


Indian sindoor poisonous: US Scientists- Hindustan Times

 

[Spring Onion]

with due applogy not to offend anyone but i always been wondering about the chemistery of these colors if these are a risk to health or safe

 

[Vassnti]

In the study, scientists tested a variety of Indian products randomly purchased from 15 stores in a 20-mile radius of Boston. Among spices tested, lead levels as high as 7.6 micrograms (ug) per gram (g) were found in 22 of 86 spices tested.

Levels were even higher in powders. Of the 71 powders tested, 46 contained up to 41 ug/g of lead. The content of three sindoor products was more than half lead.

The FDA recommends a 6-ug per day tolerable limit for dietary intake of lead for children aged less than 6 years.

Sindoor, also known as kumkum, is a blood-red or deep-purple colored red powder or liquid dye used by Indian women to indicate they are married, but is sometimes used ritually on children.

Though traditional mixes are herbal, modern sindoor can include synthetic materials like lead, zinc and industrial dyes.

In 2007, the FDA issued an alert warning consumers not to use sindoor, because testing in Illinois determined its lead content was as high as 87 percent. In 2008, the CDC issued a recall on those and other Swad products.

Indian Spice and Religious Powders Can Cause Lead Poisoning in Children, Says Study - ABC News

Worrying about the welfare of children shouldn't offend anyone Jana.
Its a valuable lesson for anyone using sindoor to make sure that it is lead free both for their own health and that of their children.

 

[Chanakyaa]

Jana its no offence to post news but why India Specific Negative News related to 'marrige' custom of a 'women' ?

I strongly feel that if u r honest, u'll not reply by catogorisig it under 'environmental' issue which any way has been associated with a custom being practiced for hundreds of years.

THERE EXIST SEVERAL PRACTICES/CUSTOMS WHICH SEEM TO B TOTALLY NON SCIENTIFIC, YET ARE HARDWIRED TO OUR FAITH AND RELIGION, BE IT CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM OR HINDUISM

I make this post specifially as u r a lady and sindoor/VERMILLION is the pride of a married indian lady...

Dont mix it with other PDF Propaganda issues.

And Maam PRIDE AND HONOUR HAS no RELIGION.

 

[Bang Galore]

Jana its no offence to post news but why India Specific Negative News related to 'marrige' custom of a 'women' ?

I strongly feel that if u r honest, u'll not reply by catogorisig it under 'environmental' issue which any way has been associated with a custom being practiced for hundreds of years.

THERE EXIST SEVERAL PRACTICES/CUSTOMS WHICH SEEM TO B TOTALLY NON SCIENTIFIC, YET ARE HARDWIRED TO OUR FAITH AND RELIGION, BE IT CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM OR HINDUISM

I make this post specifially as u r a lady and sindoor/VERMILLION is the pride of a married indian lady...

Dont mix it with other PDF Propaganda issues.

And Maam PRIDE AND HONOUR HAS no RELIGION.

I think its fair that she posted this article. Don't see anything wrong with that. It's a reasonably serious public health issue. It points to our abysmal quality control on items consumed and used regularly. Why is it that such studies are almost never done in India and if done focus on soft drink companies as a excuse to do some MNC bashing? Why not test and publish reports on the quality of milk and spices which are consumed far more regularly including by very young children? The fact that there is a cultural & traditional dimension to it should not be a deterrent from holding companies and people to a higher standard. Do we even know what we are actually eating and what we are feeding to young children?

Forget Jana's reasons for posting this. It does not make this matter any less important.

 

[qsaark]

Traditionally, Sendoor was made at home using Haldi (Turmeric) and Phitkari (Alum). The yellow color of the Turmeric is due to a natural pigment called Curcumin ((1E,6E)-1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione). When Curcumin is mixed with Alum (KAl(SO4)2.12H2O), the yellow Curcumin turns to red in color. The final red product was than dried and used as Sendoor by the married Hindu women. In its natural form, the Sendoor is not at all toxic, infact healthy as both, the curcumin and alum compounds are known for their anti-septic, anti-fungal, insecticidal (lice) and even anti-viral properties. Several other components were also added such as iodine (antispetic), camphor (antispetic, insecticidal), powdered chandan and kastoori, for aroma etc.

At any rate, use of mercuric compounds in making Sendoor started much later and its roots can be traced with the invasion of India by the European merchants around 1800 when such compounds were discovered and produced at industrial scale in Europe. Since it was both rapid and cheaper to produce Sendoor using intensely red mercuric compounds (tainted with lead compounds) over the traditional Sendoor, it was well received both by the Indian merchants as well as the customers (mostly low and middle class).

It is same what we have done to Hennna/Mehndi which was initially produced from the dried leaves of the Henna plant (Lawsonia inermis) and usually at home. The active ingredient of Henna is Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) which under slightly acidic condition, stains the proteins of epidermis (of skin). In its natural form, the plant extract is not at all poisonous when applied to the skin, but most recent commercial products are spiked with several chemical compounds (silver nitrate, carmine, pyrogallol, chromium salt) to accelerate the dying process (which is basically protein staining) and increasing the color intensity. All the compounds mentioned are known mutagen and/or carcinogen and have potential to cause cancer.

So it has nothing to do with good or bad traditions but with the ease of which certain chemicals were commercially available and at ridiculously low price.

XiNiX: I have found most traditional practices based on a lot of ancient wisdom; we are facing lot more health and other type of hazards in the hands of the so-called modernization than our forefathers ever faced while they had little scientific knowledge. Application of Sendoor by the married Hindu women is a beautiful tradition of an ancient civilization, and I feel sorry for those (for instance, wives of many of my Hindu friends) who are abandoning this traditional practice for one or other reason.

Note: I am an author of two full length research papers published in Planta medica and Phytotherapia in which I reported the anti-parasitic activity of turmeric and its purified curcuminoid compounds.

 

[rubyjackass]

Turmeric patent case. FYI
VUAT

 

[Spring Onion]

Jana its no offence to post news but why India Specific Negative News related to 'marrige' custom of a 'women' ?

I strongly feel that if u r honest, u'll not reply by catogorisig it under 'environmental' issue which any way has been associated with a custom being practiced for hundreds of years.

THERE EXIST SEVERAL PRACTICES/CUSTOMS WHICH SEEM TO B TOTALLY NON SCIENTIFIC, YET ARE HARDWIRED TO OUR FAITH AND RELIGION, BE IT CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM OR HINDUISM

I make this post specifially as u r a lady and sindoor/VERMILLION is the pride of a married indian lady...

Dont mix it with other PDF Propaganda issues.

And Maam PRIDE AND HONOUR HAS no RELIGION.

do not jump to conclusion without investigation. The study has nothing to do with religion or traditions but with the material these days used for carrying out these rituals or traditions.

And for your information we have a village in subruban Peshawar where this tradition of filling the hairline or maang of the bride with sindoor.

During my visit to India one of my fellow lady from Karachi wanted to buy sindoor and we had searched many shops in Chennai but were not satisfied with the mixure, at last we bought from one shop and i tell you i was not at all clear what was the mixture made off.


Its the right of every consumer to be aware of the ingredients of a product which is applied specially on the skin.

We already have many health risks so be safe

 

[KillBill]

Well, I dont know about the current US study, but I know this current Sindoor is toxic.

If someone eats Sindoor in good amount, mixed with paan ( beetle leaf) then he will lose his voice for ever. Thats what i have heard and read from some naturopathy books. Dont know how genuine this piece is, never tried it on anyone though

 

[Spring Onion]

Well, I dont know about the current US study, but I know this current Sindoor is toxic.

If someone eats Sindoor in good amount, mixed with paan ( beetle leaf) then he will lose his voice for ever. Thats what i have heard and read from some naturopathy books. Dont know how genuine this piece is, never tried it on anyone though

But why would someone eat it ?

 

[KillBill]

But why would someone eat it ?

If .... is the important word

The same reason why someone will eat any poison

In the past, some people were made to eat such paan in disguise, you know like some important person in any king's court or something like that.

 

[qsaark]

But why would someone eat it ?

Problem is, common sense is not that common.

Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2005;43(4):301-3.

Case of elevated blood lead in a South Asian family that has used Sindoor for food coloring.

Vassilev ZP, Marcus SM, Ayyanathan K, Ciuffo V, Bogden JD, Kemp FW, Ruck B, Jennis T, Jani N, Halperin W.

New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Newark, New Jersey 07107, USA. zvassilev@njpies.org

After a routine blood testing, a local pediatrician discovered that a 13-month-old boy had an elevated blood lead level (BLL) of 57 microg/dL. Since the baby was mostly breast-fed, the pediatrician did a blood test on the mother, and the result showed a BLL of 85 microg/dL. As the mother denied any history of pica behavior, the pediatrician suspected a source of lead to which the entire family might have been exposed and tested the father's BLL. The results showed a BLL of 95 microg/dL, and the pediatrician informed the poison center. The subsequent epidemiological investigation revealed that the parents had used a product called Sindoor for food coloring. Laboratory analyses showed that the product contains more than 57.8% of acid-extractable lead by weight. Given the extremely high content of Pb in this product, Sindoor poses a serious risk of lead poisoning if it is used for food coloring.

 

[Justin Joseph]

with due applogy not to offend anyone but i always been wondering about the chemistery of these colors if these are a risk to health or safe

Even a kid knows that one should not eat "Sindoor"

It is poison for sure. No need to do any research. Even i Know that as many of my Hindu friends have told me.

That as per Hindu texts "Sindoor is poisonous and to reduce its side effect, if one accidentally eats is to eat "Durva's extract" grass extract of a particular class and the poison will be nutrilised.


There was a tale that say "After fighting with Sindurasur rakshash, Lord Ganesh feel heat and Durva eases his heat"


A match stick is also useful and can be found in any house but if one uses match stick to burn house, then what one should do ban match stick.

The sindoor has good properties but it is for external use not internal.

 

[Justin Joseph]

If one wants to buy pure "Sindoor" just go to a chemical shop and order "Lead para oxide - Red" it is poison but beneficial for external use.

 

[rakesh_sabrah]

If this study is True then All Indians should not be alive bcause indians uses lot of spices in their food....I think as soon this study comes in the indian media all womens need to die ..becouse they are applying SINDOOR since ages...get a life man....!!!!!
Dude americans are very sensitives...If they eats little bit of Spice it tends to dysentery....if they seats in sunlight for 10 min with tempreture 35 0 c their skin starts burning and they turns red...
Alright if this spices combination is hazardous then "Ayurveda" needs to banned....

ONE MORE THING FOLKS ...I KNOW THAT "SINDOOR" IS QUIET HAZARDOUSE IF YOU COUNSUME IN A SHOT AROUND 2g TO 5g....I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY SPICES AND CHEMICALS LEADS TO HAZARD BUT THAT IS IN VERY BIG AND REGULAR CONSUMPTION....WHAT NEW RESEARCH HAS THEY MADE IN LABS ...HE HE ..!!! AND THIS RESEARCH IS BEING BACKED BACK OBVIOUSLY BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU....

My SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO YOU ALL ...:::::WHY ALL DISEASES AND SYMPTOMS FINDS IN US/UK PEOPLE ...??? WHY NOT IN ALL OVER THE WORLD..?? WHY INDIANS ARE NOT DYING OR SHOWING SUCH SYMPTOMS ....???? :::::

In this artical i can smell the HATE for the things related to INDIA...and nothing other than that ......

ANY ONE HAVE ANY DOUBT PLEASE REPLY .....