India Requests Spice Ban Details from Singapore and Hong Kong
India has requested details from food regulators in Singapore and Hong Kong regarding the ban on MDH and Everest spices. The Ministry of Commerce has also directed Indian missions in Singapore and Hong Kong to seek detailed reports on this matter. The Ministry has requested details from MDH and Everest regarding the reasons for the rejection of their products and what improvements need to be made.
Officials have stated that “consideration will also be given to technical details, analytical reports, and details from stakeholders whose consignments have been rejected.” They have sought information from Singapore’s Food Agency and the Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong as well.
Everest and MDH spices have been banned in Singapore and Hong Kong due to an increase in the level of the carcinogenic ethylene oxide found in some of their products.
The Hong Kong Food Safety Department announced that three spice mixes from the MDH Group – Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Powder, and Curry Powder – have been found to contain higher levels of the carcinogenic ethylene oxide. Similarly, ethylene oxide has also been detected in Everest’s Fish Curry Masala under routine surveillance programs.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen. According to food regulations, food containing carcinogens can only be sold when the food is not hazardous or harmful to health.
To stop sales and remove products, the vendors have been given instructions.
The department has informed vendors about the regulations and directed them to stop sales and remove these products. According to the advice of the department, distributors and importers have started recalling affected products.
