MDH and Everest have come under the radar of the domestic spice exports regulator as the companies witnessed a prohibition on the sale of their products in Hong Kong. The regulator has asked the spice manufacturers to share information about their quality checks following reports of high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide in their products.
Earlier this month, Hong Kong halted the sale of three MDH spice blends and one Everest spice mix used for fish curries, as per a report by Reuters. Singapore has also issued a recall for the Everest spice mix and recommended against its consumption.
The products of these companies are widely popular in the country and are exported to various other nations including Europe, Asia, and North America.
Indian food authorities also mandated quality inspections on MDH and Everest spices on Monday. It is worth noting, that these companies are the latest ones to come under the regulatory radar. Lately, many food products being sold in the country have faced similar allegations.
According to a senior official at the Spices Board of India, the companies have been asked to clarify their testing procedures and confirm compliance with all regulations.
"We need to get the relevant details on how this has happened. We need to check if the conditions required by importing countries were met and if our regulations were met," the official stated on condition of anonymity.
Officials in both Hong Kong and Singapore have stated that the products contain high amounts of ethylene oxide, which is not suitable for human consumption and poses a cancer risk with prolonged exposure.
