The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), after conducting thorough tests on samples of spices in powder form from various brands nationwide, has not detected any traces of ethylene oxide in the products of MDH and Everest brands, according to sources.
FSSAI conducted these tests across 28 accredited laboratories, with reports from six labs still pending.
The initiative by FSSAI was prompted by recent bans imposed by Hong Kong and Singapore on specific spice mix products of MDH and Everest, citing ethylene oxide levels beyond permissible limits.
Following suit, Nepal and Maldives also prohibited the sale and import of these spice mixes.
Australia's food safety agency is also considering allegations of contamination in spices sold by these companies.
To address the issue, FSSAI launched a nationwide campaign on April 22, engaging commissioners of food safety from states and union territories, along with regional directors of FSSAI. The regulator conducted extensive investigations into spice manufacturing units and sampled products ready for distribution in the domestic market.
Samples of Everest spices were obtained from their two manufacturing facilities, while MDH spices were collected from 11 manufacturing units, totaling 25 samples.
These samples underwent rigorous analysis for compliance with safety and quality standards, including ethylene oxide levels, at NABL-accredited laboratories.
FSSAI examined over 300 samples of spices from other brands, all of which tested negative for ethylene oxide presence.
In response to the issue, the Spice Board issued guidelines to spice exporters regarding the use of ethylene oxide as a fumigant to sterilize spices, ensuring compliance with the importing countries' standards for microbial contamination control.
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