FSSAI Investigates Spice Mix Safety Amid Ethylene Oxide Concerns

Context

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has commissioned quality checks on the spice mixes of 2 leading spice brands in India.

FSSAI Investigates Ethylene Oxide in Spice Mixes Amid International Recalls

• FSSAI actions  follows complaints of traces of ethylene oxide more than the permissible levels in several popular spice mixes of the two leading brands.

• Hong Kong and Singapore have also recalled some  variants as their respective Food Regulators  found the presence of  a pesticide named ethylene oxide in their spice mix.
  • Centre for Food Safety (CFS) Hong Kong has recalled 4 variants namely,  MDH Madras Curry Powder, Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder and Everest Fish Curry Masala.
• FSSAI, in its quality checks, will also assess whether the products sold by the concerned brands match the Indian standards of chemical residue as prescribed by the law.
• In 2023, US Food & Drug Administration recalled Everest Sambhar Masala and Garam Masala as samples tested positive for Salmonella.

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Ethylene Oxide 

• It is a flammable colorless gas with a sweet odor.
• Use:  
  • It is primarily used to produce other chemicals like antifreeze, detergents and pesticides.
  • As a sterilizing agent: It is used to sterilize medical equipment and cosmetics by destroying the DNA of bacteria and viruses.
  • Pesticide:  It can be used to fumigate agricultural products to prevent microbial contamination.
• Source of Exposure: Humans can be exposed to Ethylene oxide via  inhalation and ingestion, which may occur through occupational (uncontrolled industrial emissions), consumer (consumption of  products that have been sterilized with ethylene oxide) and environmental (generated from water-logged soil, manure, and sewage sludge) exposure.
• Carcinogenic Agent: 
  • WHO’s The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen.
  • Short-term exposure: It can affect the human central nervous system, and cause depression and irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes
  • Long term exposure: It  can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs, and damage the brain and nervous system.

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