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