Context:
Recently, there’s been a notable rise in the rejection of Indian spice shipments in various countries.
More on the news:
- Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd: Increased Rejections
- In the past six months, about one-third of Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) Pvt Ltd’s spice shipments to the US were turned away due to salmonella contamination.
- Additionally, Singapore and Hong Kong have suspended the sale of several products from both MDH and Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd due to alleged detection of a cancer-causing pesticide (ethylene oxide) in their products.
- The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the ethylene oxide (chemical) as a Group 1 carcinogen.
About Salmonella:
- Salmonella is a type of bacteria.
- It can make people sick, causing diarrheal illness.
- Intestinal tract: It mainly affects the stomach and intestines.
- People usually get salmonella infections from eating food that has the bacteria on it, like undercooked or contaminated food, or drinking water that’s contaminated.
- Transmission: Salmonella is highly contagious and can spread in various ways:
- From person-to-food-to-person,
- From animals to people directly or through food,
- From person-to-person.
- Symptoms of Salmonella Infection
- According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The symptoms of a salmonella infection include
- Diarrhea
- stomach cramps
- Fever
- Nausea
- sometimes vomiting
Spices Market in India
- India is recognised as the largest producer of spices worldwide.
- It produces 75 varieties out of 109 varieties, listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
- Major exported spices are
- pepper, cardamom, chilli, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, nutmeg & mace, curry powder, spice oils and oleoresins.
- Statistics for 2023 and 2024
- In 2023, India’s exports for spices were around US$ 3.73 billion.
- In 2023- 2024 (till feb), India’s exports for spices were around US$ 3.67 billion.
Largest spices producing states in India -
- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka.
- Maharashtra, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Reason for Salmonella being dangerous
Salmonella is dangerous for several reasons:
- Serious illness: It can cause serious illness in vulnerable groups like children, elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
- These groups may require hospitalization and additional treatment.
- In summer, Such infections are more common than in the winter.
- Though most healthy adults recover without needing medical attention:
- Antibiotic-resistant: Certain strains of salmonella are becoming antibiotic-resistant, making them harder to treat with traditional medication.
- This can lead to serious complications.
Government Initiatives: Spices Production
- Export development and promotion of spices: This initiative was taken by the spices board of India.
- This initiative promotes spices of indian brand, setup infrastructure in spice growing centres.
- Objective: To support exporters to use advanced technology
- Upgradation of existing technology for the growth of the industry
- Setting up of spices parks: The board started establishing eight crop-specific Spices Parks in key production areas and market hubs.
- Objective: This initiative intends to help farmers in getting better prices and wide market access for their crops.
- Apart from the above, it aims to create a comprehensive system for spice cultivation, post harvesting, processing, value edition, and storage of spices.
Additional Reading: foodsafetymantra
April 30, 2024