The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is collecting information on products from Indian spice producers MDH and Everest. | Photo source: Reuters
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is collecting information on products from Indian spice makers MDH and Everest after Hong Kong halted sales of some of their products for allegedly containing high levels of a carcinogenic pesticide.
“The FDA is aware of the reports and is collecting additional information about the situation,” an FDA spokesperson said Reuters.
This month, Hong Kong suspended the sale of three MDH spice blends and Everest fish curry spice blend. Singapore also ordered the recall of Everest spice blend, saying it contains high levels of ethylene oxide, which is unfit for human consumption and poses a cancer risk with long-term exposure.
MDH and Everest did not immediately respond Reuters request for comment on this matter.
Everest has previously stated that its spices are sheltered for consumption. MDH has not yet responded to inquiries about its products.
MDH and Everest spices are among the most popular in India and are also sold in Europe, Asia and North America. India’s food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is currently reviewing the quality standards of both companies following moves in Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Spices Board of India, the government’s regulator for spice exports, said on Wednesday that it had sought data on MDH and Everest exports from Hong Kong and Singapore authorities and was working with companies to find the “root cause” of quality problems through inspections. they started in their plants.
In 2019, several lots of MDH products were recalled in the US due to salmonella contamination.
