India, celebrated globally as a spice powerhouse, is now confronting mounting concerns regarding the safety of its esteemed spice exports. In the recent past, Singapore and Hong Kong suspended sales of select spices from Indian brands MDH and Everest due to suspected elevated levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), a cancer-causing pesticide. Furthermore, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated investigations into products from these brands for potential pesticide contamination. Analysis by Reuters reveals that since 2021, an average of 14.5 per cent of US shipments of MDH spices were rejected due to bacterial presence. Despite these challenges, both brands assert the safety of their products.
The European Union (EU) has also sounded the alarm after detecting ethylene oxide in samples of Indian chilli peppers and peppercorns. Similar concerns have prompted regulatory investigations in the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Australia.
Nepal on May 18 banned the sale and import of certain spice-mix products manufactured by Indian brands over alleged quality concerns. Four spice-mix products by MDH and Everest were banned in the Himalayan nation due to suspected ethylene oxide or EtO contamination, according to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control in Nepal.
This controversy is particularly unsettling given the stature of the affected brands. MDH, a 105-year-old family-run firm based in Delhi, boasts a diverse range of over 60 blended spices. Everest Food Products, established by a spice trader over five decades ago, prides itself on being India's largest manufacturer of pure and blended spices, with exports to over 80 countries. Notably, Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan have served as Everest's brand ambassadors.
Not the first time
Denne historien er fra AgroSpectrum India June 2024-utgaven av AgroSpectrum.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra AgroSpectrum India June 2024-utgaven av AgroSpectrum.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
No More Relying On Non-Renewable Energy Resources?
Cutting down on petroleum imports and rolling out effective eco-friendly policies across industries, especially the agri sector, is the key focus of the government.
Janssen PMP and Fresh Inset partner to commercialise Vidre+ freshness extension solution
Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and Fresh Inset have partnered to exclusively commercialise Fresh Inset's Vidre+ technology in Europe.
India and Denmark ink MoU on Green Shipping, Digitalisation, and Sustainable Development
India and Denmark's maritime relations continue to strengthen, with both nations working closely to advance sustainable maritime practices.
IIL launches multiple indigenous IVF media for embryo transfer of dairy animals
Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) announced the launch of \"Shashthi\" an indigenous InVitro Fertilization (IVF) media developed in collaboration with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
APEDA, LuLu Group ink MoU to promote horticulture produce in Middle East
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LuLu Group International for the promotion of Indian horticulture produce in Middle East markets and across the Gulf Cooperation Council LuLu MOU SIGNING LuLu (GCC) countries.
Weeds cause Rs 92,000 Cr worth loss in crop productivity: Study
A collaborative study by Dr NT Yaduraju, Dr M R Hegde and Dr AR Sadananda and the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) discussed the various weed management practices using herbicides, mechanisation of weed removal, crop rotation, cover cropping, biological control among others that can lower costs by 40-60 per cent compared to traditional approaches.
BiofuelCircle launches first large-scale deployment of farm equipment in UP
BiofuelCircle, strengthened its commitment to empower rural India for generating wealth from agri-waste at an event 'Parali Se Ujjawal Bhavishya', held at the Ramnagar Biomass Bank in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. BiofuelCircle enables a participative ecosystem at rural level.
Crystal Crop Protection launches advance insecticide for maize and soybean
Crystal Crop Protection Limited, a leading agrochemical organisation, has launched Proclaim XTRA, its latest insecticide specifically formulated for maize and soybean.
CIFT, Kochi conducts first-drone-based marine mammal-fishery interaction study
The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi, has carried out a drone-based survey to study marine mammal fishery interaction.
ICRISAT conducts study on use of Spectral Matching Techniques for crop type mapping
In a recent effort to harness satellite data for countries with limited ground reference information, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) conducted a study using Senegal as a model to test various algorithms.