Sudan 1

What's this Sudan 1 dye stuff that caused all the recent fuss? 

Sudan 1 is an azo dye. In laboratory tests when the dye was injected directly into animals such as rats, mice and rabbits, it caused cancerous tumours in organs such as the liver. Since July 2003, chilli powder imported into the UK has had to be free of Sudan 1. However, The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently found the dye to be present in over 500 foodstuffs, causing these products to be removed from the shelves of UK shops. Sudan 1 was banned as a food colourant in the US in 1918 and in Canada in 1934, but it took Europe until 1995 to prohibit its use in food. 

But how did it get into food in the first place? And if it's toxic why is it being used at all?

Simon Cotton discusses Sudan 1.