After the Food Safety Authority is scrutinizing spices sold in India for baby products

After Singapore and Hong Kong recalled spices from Indian brands, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said they will test the masalas or spices sold in India.

Concerns were raised after authorities in the above-mentioned countries said they had found ethylene oxide, a toxic substance, along with other carcinogens in the spices, especially in some of their ‘Fish Curry Masala’ packets. Needless to say, these products can cause enormous harm to consumers.

The companies in question are MDH and Everest. These are some of the biggest names in the industry. Everest is a Mumbai-based company that was founded in 1967. Meanwhile, MDH, known for its advertising presence, was founded over 100 years ago in 1919.

These legacy brands are being questioned at the same time as Nestle, which has also been in the midst of another tumultuous storm that has engulfed the baby food industry. This after it turned out that the Swiss company’s product, Cerelac, contained an unhealthy amount of sugar.

This, especially compared to the composition of the same product in Britain and Australia, showed a striking disparity in the protocol used to manufacture the same product in different ways for different areas.

The companies on their side have reportedly issued clarifications, claiming that in the case of Singapore, products are not completely banned but are under scrutiny.

Whether this move by FSSAI would prove to be a turning point in the spice sector remains to be seen.

Published: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 10:51 IST