MDH and Everest Masala Ban: Indian spice king MDH and Everest have now fallen under the radar of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) as per an announcement on April 30, Reuters reported. FSANZ is probing claims of contamination in spice mixes produced by Indian manufacturers . The inquiry could result in a recall of these products in Australia, mirroring recent preventative measures taken in Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We are working with international counterparts to understand the issue and with federal, state, and territory food enforcement agencies to determine if further action is required in Australia,” FSANZ said in a statement. The agency said that “ethylene oxide is not permitted to be used as a treatment for foods sold in Australia,” as quoted by Reuters.
Such action could include a recall, it said, adding, “Ethylene oxide is not permitted to be used as a treatment for foods sold in Australia,” Reuters further quoted.
Also Read | ‘We do not use ethylene oxide’: MDH refutes cancer-causing pesticide allegations by Hong Kong, Singapore
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday that it is currently collecting additional information regarding the issue, while Indian regulators have recently conducted inspections at the facilities of MDH and Everest.
Also Read | MDH, Everest row: Why top Indian spice brands are under scanner abroad? Explained
Previously, in 2019, the FDA mandated a recall of several batches of an MDH product due to salmonella contamination. More recently, in 2023, the agency required a recall of two spice mixes from Everest for similar contamination risks, the report further added.
India stands as the world’s largest exporter, consumer, and producer of spices. MDH and Everest rank among the top companies within India’s spice market, which, according to Zion Market Research, was valued at $10.44 billion in 2022. During the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported spices valued at $4 billion.
Last week, India requested data from Hong Kong and Singapore concerning exports of MDH and Everest following the regulatory actions.
The Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong recently issued a statement indicating that the Indian embassy had been notified “ of the test results for follow-up actions,” though details were not disclosed.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
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Published: 30 Apr 2024, 12:39 PM IST