look news india
Garam masala exported from the country to foreign countries has been a topic of discussion for some time. Due to this, the government is worried about spices and has decided to take strict action. Therefore, the government has ordered spice exporters to take important steps. Exporters will have to take steps to ensure that the spices do not contain any carcinogens and this defect does not recur in future.
chemicals in spices export
The Spices Board has issued comprehensive guidelines to exporters on the use of carcinogenic chemical ethylene oxide in products exported from the country. Some spice manufacturers have recently taken this step after concerns over quality increased in some countries. According to the guidelines, exporters will have to avoid the use of any disease-causing germs and carcinogens in spices. Apart from this, it has been said not to use any kind of chemical in the transportation, warehouse, store etc. of this spice.
Use of ETO in spices was stopped
It said exporters will have to take adequate measures to determine the presence of EtOs and metabolites in spices and spice manufacturers in the supply chain. Exporters must recognize the LES chemical as a hazard and take steps to prevent EtO at hazard analysis points in their food safety management system.
Instructions to exporters to conduct ETO test
The nine-page guidelines state that exporters will have to test for EtO in raw materials, packaging and finished goods. If ETO is reported at any level in any quantity of supply, exporters will have to analyze the same to avoid its recurrence in future. And proper solution will have to be taken for this.
The directive comes after Hong Kong and Singapore banned the sale of popular spice brands MDS and Everest. It has withdrawn the products from stores after carcinogenic chemical ethylene oxide was found in it. India's spice exports totaled US$4.25 billion in FY 2023-24. Which is 12 percent of global spice exports.