FSSAI finds no trace of ethylene oxide in sample spices of MDH, Everest: Officials

India's premier food regulator came to the conclusion after extensive testing of the samples of spices sold by Mahashian Di Hatti Pvt Ltd (MDH) and M/s Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd (Everest), media reports said.

According to reports, FSSAI carried out the investigation after the Hong Kong Food Authority alleged that certain spice products sold by MDH and Everest were found to contain higher than permissible amounts of ethylene oxide (ETO), a chemical that is used to sterilise spices.

ETO can potentially pose health risks, including cancer, if the residue exceeds safe levels, and this threshold differs from country to country.

After the Hong Kong Food Authority recalled the products, FSSAI initiated a nationwide inspection drive on April 22, involving all state and union territory food safety commissioners and regional directors, and it collected 34 samples of Everest and MDH products for testing.

As per reports, nine samples were collected from Everest's facilities in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and 25 were collected from the facilities of MDH in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.

The FSSAI also tested the products on several other parameters, including moisture content, insect and rodent contamination, heavy metals, aflatoxins, pesticide residues and various microbiological contaminants, reports said.

The samples were tested for ethylene oxide at National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited laboratories.

So far, the FSSAI has received 28 lab reports, and the country's premier food regulator's Scientific Panel analysed the samples and found that the chemical was absent in them.

The panel also analysed test reports of 300 more spice samples of other brands as well but did not find traces of the cancer-causing substance, showing that Indian products are safe for consumption, according to reports.