UK Increases Scrutiny on Indian Spice Imports Amid Contamination Allegations

Los Angeles/May 17, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/A.Gary Singh

"Spices are the Colors in India's Culinary Palette, Says Actor-Turned-Food Writer Madhur Jaffrey ." We get different shades from the same spice by doing something to the spice." Whether roasted or ground into powders, the diversity of their flavors is astonishing. Indian spices enhance pickles, season meat, and add zest to street food. They even give a tangy twist to fruits and salads.

India has long been a global spice powerhouse, exporting over 200 spices and value-added products to approximately 180 countries, valued at $4 billion, according to the Spices Board of India. The domestic market alone, worth $10 billion, makes India the world's largest consumer of spices.

However, concerns about the safety of these spices are now emerging. Last month, Singapore and Hong Kong halted sales of some MDH and Everest spices due to suspected elevated levels of ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic pesticide.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also investigating products from these brands for possible pesticide contamination. An analysis by Reuters found that since 2021, an average of 14.5% of MDH spice shipments to the US were rejected due to bacterial contamination. Both MDH and Everest insist their products are safe.

The European Union (EU) has also raised alarms, finding the same carcinogenic substance in samples of Indian chilli peppers and peppercorns. Additionally, food regulators in the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Australia have launched investigations.

This development is concerning given the popularity and trust these brands command. Delhi-based MDH, a 105-year-old family-run firm, offers over 60 blended and ground spices. Everest Food Products, founded 57 years ago, claims to be India's largest manufacturer of pure and blended spices, exporting to more than 80 countries. Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan have served as Everest's brand ambassadors.

This is not the first instance of contamination in Indian spices. In 2014, biochemistry expert Ipsita Mazumdar found lead in the food coloring used in popular spice brands in Kolkata. More recently, in April, authorities in Gujarat seized over 60,000kg of adulterated spices, including chilli powder, turmeric, and coriander powder.

Are Indian spices safe? The federal government has directed all states to conduct quality tests. The Spices Board, with five quality evaluation labs, has issued guidelines to exporters regarding ethylene oxide use. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also testing samples.

India's health ministry claims the country has some of the world's strictest Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides, determined through rigorous risk assessments. However, in 2022, the FDA highlighted inadequate sanitary conditions at a premier Indian spice plant.

"India has been a spice exporter for centuries, but this image has been declining in recent years due to inadequate government attention. We do not yet know at which stage the contamination is happening. Ethylene oxide is likely a post-harvest, post-processing residue," says Narasimha Reddy Donthi, an independent researcher and environmental justice activist.

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