Singapore and Hong Kong took the step after the presence of ethylene oxide a cancer-causing element in Fish Curry spice.
Famous Indian spices are getting attention worldwide, but not for good reasons. In Hong Kong, officials found four products from well-known Indian brands MDH and Everest containing harmful substances that can cause cancer. Singapore also took action by recalling Everest fish curry masala imported from India. They found a cancer-causing chemical called ethylene oxide in it, which can increase the risk of breast cancer and lymphoma.
The Hong Kong food safety authority, the Centre for Food Safety, regularly checks food and finds this problem during one of their routine checks. They found ethylene oxide, a pesticide, in the spices, which is unsafe for people to eat.
The affected products are three from MDH – curry powder (for Madras curry), mixed masala powder, and sambhar masala, and one from Everest – Fish Curry Masala.
The authorities in Hong Kong have told the sellers to stop selling these products and remove them from the shelves.
Ethylene oxide is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it’s known to cause cancer.
There are rules about how much pesticide residue can be in food sold for people to eat, and these products have too much.
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The company in Singapore that imports these products has been asked to recall them.
This issue started when Hong Kong’s food safety authority found pesticides in these spices, and then Singapore’s food agency decided to recall them, too.
The Hong Kong government’s Centre for Food Safety announced on April 5 that they found ethylene oxide in three spice mixes from MDH Group – Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Powder, and Curry Powder – during their regular testing of food.
They collected samples from three stores in Tsim Sha Tsui for testing as part of their routine Food Surveillance Programme. The results showed that these samples contained a pesticide called ethylene oxide. The Centre for Food Safety told the sellers about this issue and instructed them to stop selling these products and remove them from the shelves.
Moreover, Everest Group’s Fish Curry Masala was also discovered to contain the pesticide. Ethylene oxide, classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, poses significant health risks, including an increased chance of breast cancer.
Hong Kong and Singapore have taken steps to safeguard public health in response to these discoveries. Singapore, following suit, has recalled Everest’s products from its shelves due to the presence of pesticides exceeding safe levels.
It is not the first instance of an Indian spice brand facing action abroad. In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated a recall of Everest Food Products after they tested positive for Salmonella.
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