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MDH says reports on contaminated masalas are baseless, says its spices are safe
KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)
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Summary
The company reaffired its compliance with health and safety standards both domestically and internationally and highlighted its commitment to safety and quality of its products, assuring consumers that ethylene oxide is not used at any stage of storing, processing, or packing their spices.
MDH, a leading spice brand in India, said on Saturday that its products are entirely safe, dismissing allegations of pesticide presence by food regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore. Earlier this month, Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) reported finding pesticide ethylene oxide in samples of pre-packaged spice-mix products from two Indian brands, MDH and Everest.
The CFS advised against buying and selling MDH’s Madras Curry Powder, Everest Fish Curry Masala, MDH Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, and MDH Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder. MDH clarified that it had not received any official communication from food safety regulators in Hong Kong or Singapore.
Also read: FSSAI to conduct a broader quality check on spices brands amid MDH, Everest scrutiny, say sources
Addressing the alleged presence of ethylene oxide (ETO), MDH stated, “these claims are untrue and lack any substantiating evidence.” The company emphasized that neither the Spice Board of India nor the food regulator FSSAI had received any correspondence or test reports from authorities in Hong Kong or Singapore.
MDH reiterated its commitment to the safety and quality of its products, assuring consumers that ethylene oxide is not used at any stage of storing, processing, or packing their spices.
The company reaffired its compliance with health and safety standards both domestically and internationally, highlighting its tagline, ‘Asli Masale Sach Sach, MDH MDH’ (‘Real Spices of India’), as a reflection of its dedication to providing authentic, high-quality spices.
Following Hong Kong’s directive, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) also ordered a recall of imported Everest Fish Curry Masala. India remains the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices globally, with exports valued at nearly Rs 32,000 crore in 2022-23. Major exports include chilli, cumin, spice oil and oleoresins, turmeric, curry powder, and cardamom.
Also read: Indian spice companies may face an export ban if presence of toxins is confirmed
The Spice Board, operating under the Ministry of Commerce, is engaged in discussions with exporters regarding the matter. The development comes after the discovery of Ethylene Oxide (ETO) residue in popular spice brands such as MDH and Everest. Consequently, both Hong Kong and Singapore have halted imports of these spices.
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