Did you know that “Indian laws do not mandate that spices sold in domestic market be tested for any pesticide residue”? We didn’t know this either until we read this informative piece by Tabassum Barnagarwala.
As many of us have learnt over the past couple of months regulators in various countries (UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc) have found that spices exported from India contain harmful chemicals such as ethylene dioxide. One of the reasons we in India need regulators abroad to sound the alarm is that Indian laws (which make sedition a criminal act) do not have anything to say on putting carcinogens in spices. As Ms Barnagarwala writes: “As Scroll found out from conversations with food regulators and officials, the presence of the pesticide has, perhaps, largely gone undetected for a remarkable reason – Indian laws do not mandate that spices sold in the domestic market be tested for ethylene oxide, or any pesticide residue, unless there are special directions from the authorities.
After the Hong Kong alert, for instance, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India asked all states to test spice brands for pesticide residue.
The carcinogen did show up in the test results.
In Maharashtra, the food regulator’s checks revealed the presence of ethylene oxide in five samples of Everest masala, officials told Scroll. But they are unsure about how to proceed and have asked FSSAI to decide on the next course of action.
Only Rajasthan has announced the recall of some batches of Everest and MDH spices.
The full picture of what the inspections have revealed across the country, or what action, if any, is being considered against the two brands, is not clear.”
The craziness does not end there. In a plot fit for a Bollywood blockbuster we learn from Ms Barnagarwala that: “The Spices Board of India, which regulates export of spices, has made it compulsory to test all spices meant for export for ethylene oxide after the Hong Kong alert. No such test has been made mandatory for spices sold in the domestic market.
For routine tests for spices, the norms laid down by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India do not ask for pesticide detection.
Moreover, in special cases, pesticide residue is only tested in whole or individual spices – and not in spice mixes such as the ones flagged by Hong Kong.
In routine testing of spice mixes – such as a fish curry masala – Food and Drug Administration officials check for artificial colouring agents, misbranding, whether ingredients match the label, and for adulteration.
“Only if a special campaign has been announced by the state or central regulator, or if we have a special requirement, do we test for pesticide residue,” said Suhas Ingole, joint commissioner of food in Maharashtra.”
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