A lab based out of the United States (US) has released a report which claims that top brands of processed iodised salt sold in India use harmful carcinogenic components. The product manufactured by these premium iodised salt brands contain alarming levels of potassium ferrocyanide which is a carcinogenic component, said the report by American West Analytical Laboratories. Sambhar Refined Salt, Tata Salt, Tata Salt Lite among others have been identified in the report.

Chairman of Godhum Grains and Farms Products, Shiv Shankar Gupta on Thursday told media outlets in the national capital that he has launched a mission to rid salt of harmful substances. I will expose corrupt practices employed by the salt industry and help provide a healthy and safe natural variant of salt to the masses, Gupta claimed while reiterating the findings of the report which has essentially concluded that the table salt we use contains a component which is not permitted for use in the edible salt or food industry anywhere in the world.

Industrial waste laced with hazardous chemicals like iodine and cyanide is being repackaged as edible salt and sold in the market. Gupta went further to allege that the carcinogenic component used to make idoised salt by leading manufacturers causes cancer, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, kidney failures, obesity and even impotence. Leading salt manufacturers in India undertake bleaching with the use of dangerous chemicals such as iodine and cyanide.

"Declaring salt from these salt pans, which is naturally suited for human consumption, as inedible is one of the biggest scams in post-Independent India. This is one of the worst cases of corporate greed and corruption with the livelihood of workers in the indigenous salt industry at stake," Gupta told news agency IANS.

Terming government agencies responsible for monitoring the quality of food products as 'inert', the chairman of the Godhum Grains and Farms Products also said that prominent salt manufacturers in India have applied for testing or licensing with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) but the process defined in favour of granting these licenses is very unambiguous.

Responding to the claims, Tata Salt released an official statement saying that recent allegations made against purity and health benefits of its iodised salt are "totally false and baseless and misleading and being made by vested interests". The company further said that Tata Salt follows a rigorous control process to ensure that a safe, healthy and high-quality product is delivered to its customers.