Both Hong Kong and Singapore have taken action to protect public health in reaction to these findings.
Digital Desk: After Singapore, Hong Kong banned the sale of popular Indian spice brands MDH Pvt. and Everest Food Products Pvt. because of reports that some of their spice mixes contain the carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide.
Three spice mixes from MDH Group—Sambhar Masala Powder, Madras Curry Powder, and Curry Powder—were found to contain ethylene oxide, a report released on April 5 by the Center for Food Safety of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region stated.
"The CFS collected the above-mentioned samples from three retail outlets in Tsim Sha Tsui respectively for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the samples contained a pesticide, ethylene oxide. The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected products," the regulatory body said in a statement.
"Significant health risks"
Similarly, it was discovered that the pesticide was present in Everest Group's Fish Curry Masala. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning that it presents serious health hazards, such as an elevated risk of breast cancer.
Both Hong Kong and Singapore have taken action to protect public health in reaction to these findings.
Because the items include more pesticides than is safe, Singapore has withdrawn Everest's products from its shops.
An Indian spice brand has already been the target of international regulatory action. Everest Food Products were recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2023 after tests revealed a positive result for Salmonella contamination.
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