Consumers in India have pressed the panic button after Hong Kong and Singapore banned packaged spices manufactured by MDH and Everest Group after they were found to contain cancer causing elements. These spices were found to contain ethylene oxide, a pesticide classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a ‘Group 1 carcinogen’. Following this, the FSSAI is reported to have ordered quality checks on MDH and Everest Group products.
This has led to increased concerns among Indian consumers who have been regularly expressing concerns about unsafe food as well as the rise in cases of cancer. According to a LocalCircles survey, 72 percent consumers of packaged spices are concerned about safety of spices after carcinogens were reported in MDH and Everest products. The survey received over 24,000 responses from consumers located in 293 districts of India. While 61 percent respondents were men, 39 percent were women.
Meanwhile, 73 percent consumers said that they have no or low confidence that FSSAI and state food regulators are doing their bit in the area of licensing, audits and corrective actions by violators to ensure food safety. Only 3 percent consumers stated that they have “high confidence” in food regulators.
According to LocalCirles, feedback from citizens who are also food business owners indicates how in many cases there is rampant corruption that takes place on the ground in areas like securing a food license, audits and in cases of violations.
The Centre for Food Safety of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region had collected samples of three of MDH’s pre-packaged spice products – ‘Madras Curry Powder’, ‘Sambhar Masala Powder’ and ‘Curry Powder’ and Everest Group’s ‘Fish Curry Masala’ for testing under its routine food surveillance programme when it detected the presence of the said pesticide. In Singapore too, the food regulator found carcinogenic ingredients in the products of both companies, following which authorities have directed the importer of the two brands of spices to initiate a recall of the products.
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