FIERY red tandooris and vivid yellow masalas are popular meals in Asian restaurants and takeaways - but too much colour can be a bad thing.

But now a unique Curry Club is aiming to reduce the excessive levels of artificial food colours used in some Asian meals.

The club was launched at the Nila Indian restaurant in Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, by Lancashire County Council leader John West.

Trading standards surveys have shown that one in three take-away meals in Lancashire contain excessive amounts of food colours such as Ponceau red, Tartrazine orange and sunset yellow.

Some artificial food colours have been linked to allergic reactions.

In some cases four times the legal limit of colouring has been detected.

County Coun West said: "All Lancashire businesses selling Asian, ethnic or other coloured meals can take advantage of this free scheme which will demonstrate their commitment to complying with the law and to reduce unnecessary food colourings."

Nila proprietor Shofiq Mia was the first in Lancashire to receive his Curry Club certificate.

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