MDH, Everest masala row: FSSAI to check the quality of spices sold in India

Digital Desk: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a comprehensive sampling initiative targeting spices in powder form from various brands, including prominent names like MDH and Everest, across the country. This move comes in response to quality concerns raised by authorities in Singapore and Hong Kong regarding Indian spice blends.

A government source revealed that FSSAI is actively collecting samples of spices from the market to assess whether they comply with FSSAI standards. While FSSAI regularly conducts such sampling exercises to ensure the quality of products available in the domestic market, it does not regulate the quality of spices intended for export.

Simultaneously, the Spices Board of India has intervened to address the bans imposed by Singapore and Hong Kong on the sale of specific Indian spice blends. These bans were triggered by the alleged presence of excessive levels of the pesticide 'ethylene oxide' in four products, including MDH's Madras Curry Powder and Everest's Fish Curry Masala.

A.B. Rema Shree, director of the Spices Board of India, assured that the board is actively investigating the matter. She stated, "We are looking into the matter. We are at it."

The actions taken by Singapore's Food Agency and Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety have been resolute. Singapore has ordered a recall of the affected products, while Hong Kong has issued advisories advising consumers against purchasing them and instructing traders not to sell them.

These developments underscore the importance of stringent quality control measures in the food industry and the need for timely intervention to address any potential health risks associated with food products.