Tea leaf salad is till being sold and consumed in Moulmein despite a Burmese government ban imposed after the snack was found to be unsafe for consumption.

The government made an official announcement after Auromine 0, a chemical dye, was found in many brands of ready-made pickled tea. It announced that around 100 brands had been ordered off the market.

However, according to a shopkeeper in Moulmein, Mon State, “people are still selling it here because the government only announced the ban on TV. They haven’t actually come and taken any action to stop the sale.”

A university student in Moulmein agreed, saying, “Even though the government made the announcement the tea leaf salad shops are still open, just the same as before. They haven’t stopped.”

Both sources commented that many people do not trust the justification for the ban. They believe that the snack is not dangerous to their health since many people eat it without exhibiting any harmful effects. On the other hand, a few people have been frightened enough by the ban announcement to steer clear of it.

The student is not amongst them. “Even though I knew about the ban I ate tea leaf salad just yesterday near my university,” she said.

Some are still ignorant of the ban however. According to a local monk, “many people are unaware that it’s prohibited. I myself only heard on the radio about the government banning it.”

Auromine 0 is a coloring agent used by tea producers to maintain the color of the tea. It is commonly used in the textile and leather industries and is considered harmful to human health when used in food.  

Malaysia and Singapore have already banned certain brands of Burmese ready-made pickled tea due to its use of Auromine 0, according to official announcements from both countries. However, it continues to be sold in Thailand, where it is imported from Burma and consumed by the hundreds of thousands of Burmese living there.