An investigation undertaken by Midland Angler and Southern Angler has revealed that chrysoidine, the bronze maggot dye linked to cancer, is still in common use.
The monthly magazines have spoke to several tackle dealers who admitted to using it in the shop regularly, both for bronze maggots and so called ‘disco’ pinkies.
More worryingly, some maggot suppliers are still using the powerful dye, which is added as powder to white maggots and thus easily transferred onto an angler’s skin. From there it can be absorbed through the skin and easily transferred to the mouth. In fact it’s fair to say it’s in common use, something many anglers out there will find alarming.
Although a direct carcinogenic link has never been proven, chrysoidine is strongly suspected of causing cancer and a leading dye expert was horrified that it’s still in use.
Rhadamine (fluoro) maggots and auromine (yellow maggots) are also highly suspect dyes that are still used today. The difference with these is that they are added to the meat which the maggots eat, and so are not transferred to anglers. However, the investigations revealed that they are classified as ‘harmful to aquatic life’.
One maggot breeder said that if the government knew what dyes are being used, coloured maggots would be banned.
