Post-controversy, FSSAI Cancels Manufacturing Licences of 111 Spice-makers: Reports
Moneylife Digital Team 04 July 2024
Amid the global furore over the alleged presence of ethylene oxide (ETO), a cancer-causing substance in certain spices from the country, the food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) has cancelled the manufacturing licences of 111 spice makers since last month, asking them to stop production with immediate effect, a report from mint says, quoting two officials aware of the matter.
 
According to the report, most cancelled licences are of small spice makers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Some companies from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh are also on the radar.
 
The report says FSSAI tested 2,200 samples, of which 111 spice makers could not match the basic standard quality of the product. The licence of these spice manufacturers has already been scrapped with immediate effect and production has been stopped.
 
"If reports are to be believed, the process is still ongoing, and there are chances of more cancellations as FSSAI continues to test 4,000 samples nationwide. These samples include products from well-known brands such as Everest, MDH, Catch, and Badshah, among others, a report from Times of India (ToI) says.
 
In May this year, FSSAI cleared more than a dozen samples of spices from MDH and Everest brands. According to the analysis report, the extensive testing found no traces of ETO in the samples collected from several states. The food regulator also picked up 300 spice samples of other brands for testing and found 'no presence of ETO.'
 
The test included 34 samples of Everest and MDH spices for testing, nine from Everest's facilities in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and 25 from those of MDH in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, ToI says.
 
The testing began after several countries monitored spice products manufactured by Indian spice makers MDH and Everest over the alleged presence of a 'cancer-causing' agent. Food regulators in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand warned against using certain products from MDH and Everest over the presence of ethylene oxide at 'levels exceeding the permissible limit'.
 
Meanwhile, India has supported strengthening quality standards for various spices, including small cardamom, vanilla and turmeric, at the 86th executive committee session (CCEXEC) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in Rome.
 
Comments
marysevens
7 months ago
Can the testing process be publicized?
Is testing an ongoing process?

Why only foreigners bring out such shortcomings?

Don’t we have a consumerForum established by the government which monitors all items of public consumption?

Can your editorial enlighten us poor hapless consumers, Sir??
iaminprabhu
Replied to marysevens comment 7 months ago
FSSAI is supposed to do it but is lacking in many areas ! Gid knows when CONSUMERS will be kept at FOREFRONT before businesses
iaminprabhu
7 months ago
Imagine till now 111 Mfg. Sites are found to be NON COMPLIANT & asked to shutdown immediately by FSSAI!????????

Until HK, Singapore, etc. test results came up & shipments REJECTED, in our country FSSAI & Food related regulatory authorities were SLEEPING with Consumers buying & using INFERIOR products in TN, Kerala, MS, Rajasthan, etc. ????????????????

Like SPICES there must be ???? 's of other FOOD PRODUCTS which across our country must be CHECKED, TESTED & INVESTIGATED to maintain SAFETY STDS. protecting the Consumers in every home ????
marysevens
7 months ago
Since spices are consumed daily,
their poor quality affects population at large, on long term basis!

Elsewhere, there would have been a class suite(sp !) by this time, Sir!

Poor, hapless consumers!
yerramr
7 months ago
It is important to give wide publicity for all the cancelled brands in all vernacular languages for people to restrict their usage.
Khattarmd
7 months ago
Normally we work in jerks , the sample is rejected by a foreign firm and we ban small firms . In addition to Spices, there are so many. Edible products sold in India which exceed tge permissible limits and there is no action . More sugar, more prohibited ingredients but no action
When will we get safe food products to start with
gbrhyd
7 months ago
Government is busy with their collections..Even hotels are cheating the people with spoiled food. Only God can save us..
iaminprabhu
7 months ago
Without Warnings from HK & Singapore on POOR QUALITY SPICE PRODUCTS with ETO, our Indian authorities including FSSAI would have slept over poor quality products being consumed by Consumers! ????????????????????????????????

It's SHOCKING that so many Mfg. Plants have been found 5o produce POOR QUALITY PRODUCTS which we Indians are consuming every day in every State
marysevens
7 months ago
Why not make all spicemakers’ names?
barokhoka1956
Replied to marysevens comment 7 months ago
Government will take money and allow those manufacturers to start production again. It's a matter of time only. Consumers are guinea pigs.
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