On 12 March 2009, the Ministry of Health announced that 43 brands of lahpet including the popular brands contained a banned chemical dye called Auramine O which could cause liver and kidney damage and possibly cancer. This was believed to arise from wholesale dealers using cheaper chemical dyes instead of the traditional food dyes.[15] Singapore ordered a ban on 20 brands of lahpet from Burma, including eight varieties marketed by Yuzana, which were not declared unsafe by the Burmese authorities. Businesses were hit by a dramatic drop in sales of this popular food considered indispensable at social gatherings and on special occasions.[16] Malaysia joined the ban but not Thailand, which has a sizeable Burmese population.[17]