Govt committee submits report on banned spice issue, decision pending

The govt is launching an initiative to ensure India's exports meet importing countries' tolerance limits

The Centre may soon take a call on the recall of Everest and MDH spices slapped by Singapore and Hong Kong as a committee comprising key government officials and scientists has submitted its report on the issue.

A committee was set up to ascertain the reason for the rejection of some of the spices exported by these companies.

“The committee constituted for the root cause analysis has given a report. The report is under consideration,” a person aware of the matter told Business Standard.

Regardless of the country, the government is now launching an initiative to ensure that all of India’s export shipments comply with the ‘tolerance limits’ set by importing countries, said the person mentioned above.

Earlier this month India-based MDH and Everest’s products were banned for allegedly containing the pesticide ‘Ethylene Oxide’ beyond permissible limits.

On April 5, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) in Hong Kong flagged the presence of Ethylene Oxide (ETO) in samples of pre-packaged spice mix products of both MDH and Everest Spices. The CFS had further suspended sales of the affected products–Madras Curry powder, Sambhar Masala mixed masala powder, Curry powder mixed masala powder by MDH and the Fish curry masala by Everest–in the country.

On April 18, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) also issued a notification to recall Everest Fish curry masala after finding traces of ETO in it.

According to Reuters, Australia’s food safety agency on Tuesday said that it is collecting information on the possible contamination of spice mixes sold by MDH and Everest to decide if a food recall is required. According to reports, the United States customs authorities refused 31 per cent of all spice-related shipments exported by MDH over salmonella contamination in the last six months.

Government officials said that currently, testing for ETO is not mandatory along with exports is not mandatory for countries, except the ones in Europe.

“European Union (??EU) insisted on getting ethylene oxide test report mandatory along with export consignments. Other countries never insisted on the same so far,” the person said.

The government, since the issue of the notifications, sprung into action to find out what led to the ban as well as the corrective measures that can be taken.

The commerce department had immediately directed Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong to send a detailed report on the matter. The Singapore Food Agency and Centre for Food Safety, and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Hong Kong have also shared an official copy of recall orders issued by them upon India’s request.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also commissioned quality checks on the products. Separately, the Spices Board of India, which comes under the administrative control of the department of commerce is also looking into the issue.

MDH Spices, on 27 April, denied allegations that its products have traces of ETO. “Amid speculations doing rounds that there is presence of ETO in our products, we clarify and state unequivocally that these claims are untrue and lack any substantiating evidence,” a statement released by the company said.