UK increases inspection of all Indian spice shipments in response to claims of contamination

Sales of three MDH and one Everest spice mix were halted in Hong Kong last month after it was discovered that they contained high concentrations of ethylene oxide, a pesticide known to cause cancer.

Following claims of contamination against two brands that alarmed international food regulators, Britain's food watchdog said on Wednesday that it has implemented additional control procedures on all spice imports from India. This is the first time that the watchdog has increased its examination of all Indian spices.

Sales of three MDH and one Everest spice mix were halted in Hong Kong last month after it was discovered that they contained high concentrations of ethylene oxide, a pesticide known to cause cancer.

Additionally, Singapore issued an order for the Everest mix to be recalled, and subsequently, New Zealand, the US, India, and Australia have said that they are investigating possible problems between the two brands.

Two of the most well-known companies in India, MDH and Everest, have declared their goods to be safe for ingestion.

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) said that it had "applied extra control measures for residuals of pesticides in spices from India which includes ethylene oxide" in response to the concerns, marking the most severe crackdown to date on all Indian spices.

The organization did not provide specifics on the actions it is doing.

"Herbs and spices have maximum residue levels in place, and the use of ethylene oxide is not permitted here," James Cooper, the FSA's deputy director of food policy, told Reuters in a statement.

"If there is any contaminated food or food on the market, the FSA will take rapid action to make certain consumers are protected."

A request for comment from India's Spices Board, which oversees exports, was not immediately answered.

India is the world's largest producer, user, and exporter of spices.

Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity website indicates that in 2022, Britain imported spices worth $128 million, with India contributing for about $23 million of that total.

Products from MDH and Everest are exported to the United States, Europe, South East Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, among other places.