Nepal follows HK and Singapore, bans India’s Everest and MDH spices
Indian spice-mix products of MDH and Everest on Friday due to quality issues, following in the footsteps of Hong Kong and Singapore.
Nepal’s Department of Food Technology and Quality reported that the ban is due to the suspicion of ethylene oxide contamination. The banned spices include madras curry powder, sambhar mixed masala powder, mixed masala curry powder of MDH, and fish curry masala of Everest. The importers and traders are requested to recall these products from the Nepalese market.
“As residue contents of ethylene oxide are found to be exceeding the prescribed limit in these four products, the import and sale of these products are banned within the country as per Article 19 of the Food Regulation 2027 B.S.,” Nepal's Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, in a notice said.
The chief of Nepal’s Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Matina Joshi Vaidya said, “We do not have the lab resources to run the tests in the country. The ban will be lifted when Indian authorities declare it safe.”
Ethylene oxide is used as a pesticide, and a sterilizing agent in medical equipment and spices to prevent illness caused by salmonella and E. Coli bacteria. The US Environmental Protection Agency highlighted that regular exposure to this compound increases the risk of cancers of white blood cells.
India exports over 200 varieties of spices and value-added products to approximately 180 countries. In 2021-22, the Spices Board of India reported a revenue of USD 4 billion from these spices and
