Huge quantities of chemicals 'used' in sago seized in TN

Beware that your sparkling white sago may have been chemically bleached.
Officials today seized huge quantities of various acids allegedly used for whitening by sago units in the district, a major manufacturing hub of sago products, supplied largely to northern states.
During a raid on a rice godown at Vadakku Udayarpalayam, the Food and Safety officials seized 3,000 litres of concentrated sulphuric acid, about 15,000 litres of bleach liquor and 1,500 litres of phosphoric acid which were stored without licence, District Food Safety Officer Dr T Anuradha told PTI here.
The owner of the godown told officials that these were sold to sago units, she said.

The buyers, mainly from North India, wants only pure white sago products such as vermicelli. Sago factories were previously using tapioca by scrapping the upper layer and washing it in water.
But now they allegedly cleaned it by using bleach liquor, concentrated sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid to achieve pure white colour, she said.
The officials sealed the godown and further action would be taken, she said.
There are more than 400 sago products manufacturing units in Salem and neighbouring districts of Namakkal and Erode.