FDA Investigates Alleged Contamination Of Indian Spices: MDH and Everest Under Scrutiny

• FDA probing alleged contamination of Indian spices by MDH and Everest.
• Concerns raised after Hong Kong halted sales due to cancer-causing pesticide.
• Indian authorities also examining quality standards of the companies.

Eko hot blog reports that The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into products from Indian spice giants MDH and Everest following allegations of contamination.

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This move comes after Hong Kong suspended sales of certain MDH spice blends and an Everest spice mix due to concerns about high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide.

According to a spokesperson from the FDA, “The FDA is aware of the reports and is gathering additional information about the situation.”

Hong Kong’s action prompted Singapore to recall the Everest spice mix, citing elevated levels of ethylene oxide, a substance deemed unfit for human consumption and linked to cancer with prolonged exposure.

Reuters broke the news about the U.S. FDA’s investigation into the alleged contamination of Indian spice products.

Neither MDH nor Everest immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Previously, Everest asserted the safety of its spices, while MDH has remained silent on inquiries regarding its products.

Both MDH and Everest spices are immensely popular in India and are distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America.

In response to the developments in Hong Kong and Singapore, India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) is now scrutinizing the quality standards of these two companies.

India’s Spices Board, responsible for regulating spice exports, disclosed that it had reached out to authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore to obtain data on MDH and Everest exports.

Additionally, inspections have commenced at the plants of these companies as efforts to identify the “root cause” of the quality concerns intensify.

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This isn’t the first time MDH has faced scrutiny in the U.S. In 2019, certain batches of its products were recalled due to salmonella contamination.