After Hong Kong Suspends MDH And Everest Spices Over Alleged Carcinogen, Indian Food Authorities Order Quality Check

India's spice exports regulator has requested MDH and Everest to provide details of their quality checks after sales of some products were suspended in Hong Kong due to alleged high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide.

These companies' products are widely popular in India and are exported to various countries in Europe, Asia, and North America, as per a report by The Economic Times.

Hong Kong recently halted sales of three MDH spice blends and an Everest spice mix for fish curries. Singapore has also recalled the Everest spice mix and advised against its consumption.

Indian food authorities ordered quality checks on MDH and Everest spices on Monday.

A senior official at the Spices Board of India, which oversees quality standards and testing guidelines, stated on Tuesday (23 April) that the companies have been asked to explain their testing procedures and compliance with regulations.

"We need to get the relevant details on how this has happened ... We need to check if the conditions required by importing countries were met and if our regulations were met," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

MDH and Everest are major players in India's spices market, valued at $10.44 billion in 2022 by Zion Market Research. The Spices Board reports that India exported products worth $4 billion during 2022-23.

Everest's brand ambassadors include Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. MDH, established in the 1930s, gained popularity with ads and packaging featuring its founder Dharampal Gulati, known as India's "Spice King", who passed away in 2020.

Earlier on Tuesday (23 April), Everest stated in a release that its spices are safe for consumption and are exported only after receiving necessary clearances and approval from the laboratories of the Spice Board of India.

Rajiv Shah, a director at Everest, stated in the release that Singapore had only held one of 60 Everest products for checks.

Authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore have stated that the products contain high levels of ethylene oxide, which is unfit for human consumption and poses a cancer risk with prolonged exposure.