Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a carcinogenic dye broke, there has b

een confusion over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.

Sudan 1 is a red industrial dye that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.

Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been striving to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled. Last week Sudan's Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification of the origin of the dye's name.

Omaima Mahmoud A1 Sharief, a press official at Sudan's Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.

"We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there," she said. "Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country. But they told us there was no relationship."

The FSA, an independent food-security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudan's Embassy last week.

"They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name," she said. "People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out."

Sudan dyes, which include Sudan 1 to 4, are red dyes used for coloring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes. They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 1 ？

A．Causing cancer.

B．Having side effects.

C．Containing poison.

D．Poisonous.