We bought 6 samples of different foods in Tbilisi stores and checked them for the content of dyes of the Sudan group. Fortunately, no dyes were found in these samples.

The inspection was carried out in the National Bureau of Forensic Expertise named after Levan Samkharauli.

We discovered Sudan, a life-threatening dye in food, in 2019. At that time, the National Food Agency (NFA) considered the imported ground red pepper as the probable source of contamination and issued an emergency order to tighten its control. After that, in 2020, we conducted two more food surveys for Sudanese content, and both times Sudan was found in a total of 8 samples (see the latest survey results). In 2020, CES also found food contaminated with this dye (in 9 out of 34 samples), and it planned to check 33 samples by 2021.

Thus, the number of samples tested by the SE was quite small, and the question remained whether the measures taken by the state were sufficient to eliminate the given problem. That's why we considered it necessary to check additional samples on dye sudan.

Before that, we mainly carried out product research with funding from foreign donor organizations. For the last year and a half, we have not had the necessary funding for laboratory research. That's why in September 2021 we launched a campaign to collect the necessary funds for research from citizens (for more information, go to the link). By January 16, 2022, citizens' donations amounted to 2317 GEL. We also added 130 GEL from the reserve of our organization and we were able to check 6 samples (the research of each sample costs 400 GEL, see the document of money transfer to the laboratory).

We tried first to select products in which Sudan was found the most during previous checks and which were still available in stores.

It is good that as a result of our and SE's recent inspections, Sudan-contaminated food was no longer detected on the Georgian market. We can assume that our activity and the measures taken by the state have yielded their results.

However, the scope of the inspection is still small and it will be necessary to continue monitoring the content of sudan in food in the future.

We sincerely thank all the people who donated money to conduct this research and contributed to ensure food safety in the country. The support of each citizen is a great incentive for us!

We continue to monitor the food market as much as possible and, as always, we will disseminate the obtained information.

The list of tested foods can be found at the link