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Indian curries are world-famous, and Indian spices are known globally for their aroma and flavour. The history of the Indian spice trade is as rich as diverse Indian cuisine. The East India Company, a private corporation, was formed in December 1600 to establish a British presence in the lucrative Indian spice trade, which had been monopolised by Spain and Portugal until then. 

 

This led to the exploration and establishment of maritime trade routes, contributing to the Age of Exploration.

 

The use of spices in India can be traced back to ancient times, with evidence dating as far back as the Indus Valley Civilization. India's strategic location on ancient trade routes, including the Silk Road, facilitated the exchange of spices with other civilisations. Spices like black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon were highly sought after, contributing to India's economic prosperity.

 

The British introduced large-scale spice plantations in India, particularly in regions like Kerala and Karnataka, focusing on spices like black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon for export.

 

After gaining independence in 1947, India continued to be a major player in the global spice market. With Indian cuisine becoming sought-after worldwide, the rise of pre-made Indian masalas was inevitable. 

 

However, these masalas have come under scrutiny in India and worldwide. The expanding markets and the demand for Indian spices overseas led big spice brands such as Everest and MDH to supply their products worldwide.

 

 

The spices are under the scanner.

 

The country’s apex food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards of Authority India (FSSAI), has asked states to collect samples of different spices to carry out quality checks.

 

The development comes after food regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore recalled several products of India’s top spice brands – MDH and Everest – after detecting the presence of ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing chemical.

 

Also Read: US rejected 31% of MDH exports since October 2023 over salmonella concerns: Report

 

Authorities in Hong Kong have withdrawn four spice blends – MDH’s ‘Madras Curry Powder’, ‘Sambhar Masala Powder’ and ‘Curry Powder’ and Everest Group’s ‘Fish Curry Masala’.

 

Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said on its website early in April that it “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 sales and remove the affected products from shelves."

 

The agency warned about ethylene oxide, pointing out that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified it as a Group 1 carcinogen.

 

In addition to Hong Kong, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has also pulled back Everest’s ‘Fish Curry Masala’ after finding ethylene oxide at levels “exceeding the permissible limit."

 

Ethylene oxide is a colourless, flammable gas with a sweet odour at room temperature. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), it is chiefly used to manufacture other chemicals, including ethylene glycol (antifreeze).

 

It is also used to make textiles, detergents, polyurethane foam, medicine, adhesives and solvents. Ethylene oxide is used as a fumigant for food spices to prevent microbial contamination, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

 

The chemical is also used in hospitals to sterilise surgical equipment.

 

The regulator asked Sp Muthiah & Sons, the importer of the spice, to recall the product. “Ethylene oxide is a pesticide that is not authorised for use in food. It can be used to fumigate agricultural products to prevent microbial contamination. Under Singapore’s Food Regulations, ethylene oxide is allowed to be used in the sterilisation of spices,” the SFA said in its press release.

 

The European Union (EU) also acted quickly after reports of the spice quality of MDH and Everest surfaced. The EU raised concerns over cancer-causing chemicals in more than 527 Indian products. Of the 527 food items, 332 had India tagged as the sole country of origin. The culprit was found to be ethylene oxide, which the EU banned in 2011.

 

Everest, meanwhile, claimed that its products are “safe and of high quality." However, MDH was quick to brush aside all such allegations, saying that they are “baseless, untrue (with a) lack (of) any substantiating evidence.” 

 

But this isn't the end of the controversy surrounding famed Indian spices.

 

On April 28, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opened a probe into discovering the actual composition of two Indian spice makers' blends that allegedly contain high levels of cancer-causing pesticides. 

 

According to a Reuters report, the US FDA is reviewing the alleged health-threatening contamination. An FDA spokesperson recently said that the organisation is well aware of the reports and “is gathering additional information about the situation."

 

The Spices Board of India, the flagship organisation handling worldwide promotions and spice exports, addressed the case, stating that it had requested the data for MDH and Everest's exports from authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

The controversy surrounding Indian spices dates back to 2019 when MDH was criticised after some of its batches of sambhar powder were pulled off the shelves due to salmonella contamination.

 

FDA's September 11, 2019, statement read: “House of Spices (India) is recalling different lots of “MDH SAMBAR MASALA”, 3.5oz (100g) UPC code 6291103750327. This product is produced by R-PURE AGRO SPECIALITIES and distributed by HOUSE OF SPICES (INDIA). This product was tested by the FDA through a certified laboratory to be positive for Salmonella.”

 

The FDA warned against its consumption, as Salmonella can cause bacterial foodborne illnesses, including salmonellosis. Its common symptoms include “diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product.”

 

The food quality issue in India is not new. Reports of food contamination and unhygienic preparations are well-documented in India. Each year, hundreds of people fall ill due to eating contaminated food. Alarmingly, cancer is on the rise in India. 

 

A recent study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal revealed that India recorded approximately 12 lakh new cancer cases and 9.3 lakh deaths in 2019, emerging as the second-highest contributor to the disease burden in Asia for that year.

 

With India facing an imminent health crisis, it is imperative to screen food products that are consumed on a large scale. The Indian masalas simply happen to be the first.