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India, renowned as the world's foremost producer, consumer, and exporter of spices, has launched inquiries with the food safety authorities of Singapore and Hong Kong following the ban on certain spice products from Indian brands MDH and Everest due to quality apprehensions.

 

The Commerce Ministry has initiated steps to gather comprehensive details from the respective food safety regulators and directed Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong to furnish detailed reports on the matter.

 

Expressing concern over the banned spices allegedly containing elevated levels of the pesticide 'ethylene oxide', the ministry has also reached out to the Indian firms—MDH and Everest—for further insights. In smaller amounts, ethylene oxide is used as a pesticide and a sterilising agent.

 

An official from the Commerce Ministry affirmed that thorough investigations into the root cause of rejection and subsequent corrective measures are underway in collaboration with the concerned exporters.

 

Technical specifications, analytical findings, and information on the affected exporters' consignments have been requisitioned from the embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong, the official revealed.

 

Moreover, detailed accounts have been requested from the Singapore Food Agency and the Centre for Food Safety, alongside the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong.

 

Anticipating an industry dialogue, the ministry is slated to convene consultations to deliberate on the necessity of mandatory ethylene oxide testing for spice shipments destined for Singapore and Hong Kong.

 

Simultaneously, the Spices Board of India has initiated an investigation into the ban imposed by Hong Kong and Singapore on the sale of four spice-mix products from Indian brands MDH and Everest.

 

While the Hong Kong food safety regulator has advised consumers against purchasing these products, the Singapore Food Agency has mandated a recall of the concerned items.

 

In the financial year 2022-23, India's spice exports amassed nearly Rs 32,000 crore, with significant contributions from exports of chili, cumin, spice oil, oleoresins, turmeric, curry powder, and cardamom.