India, which leads the world in spice production, consumption, and export, has requested information from food safety regulators in Singapore and Hong Kong regarding their recent bans on certain spices from Indian brands MDH and Everest over quality issues.

Additionally, the Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong have been instructed by the trade ministry to submit a thorough report on the issue.
Following the discovery of a cancer-causing pesticide, The Hong Kong authorities have recently banned several spice variants produced by MDH and one by Everest Food Products. MDH and Everest are prominent brands in India and have gained a strong foothold in the international market, exporting to regions like the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom.

The decision to ban these products was concluded by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after routine testing found ethylene oxide, a harmful chemical, present in these spice mixes.

Ethylene oxide has been classified as a high-risk carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to food safety regulations in Hong Kong, food products containing pesticide residues can be sold only if they are deemed safe for consumption. Violations of these laws can result in significant penalties, with offenders facing fines of up to $50,000 and a potential six-month jail term.

The banned MDH products include Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, and Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder. Additionally, Everest’s Fish Curry Masala has also been banned. The CFS conducted its tests by collecting samples from three stores in Tsim Sha Tsui and subsequently found ethylene oxide in these samples. The authorities then instructed the stores to cease sales of the affected products and remove them from their inventory.

Meanwhile, India’s food safety regulator plans to carry out quality checks on products from well-known Indian spice brands MDH and Everest Group. The inspections will specifically look for ethylene oxide, a toxic pesticide that is not suitable for human consumption and can lead to cancer with long-term exposure. The aim is to ensure that these spice products meet safety standards and do not pose health risks to consumers.

Hong Kong’s regulatory action against these brands became public through the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, which posted the announcement on its website on April 5. However, it was not until Indian media reported on it recently that the news caught the public’s attention.