Indias Spice board has taken up with CODEX, the international food body and asked the committee to set limits on ethylene oxide in spices after a ban on the sale of two Indian brands in Singapore and Hong Kong.The Kerala-based Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) was founded to create global food standards, guidelines, and codes of conduct to safeguard consumer health and promote ethical trade practices, under the Codex Alimentarius Committee, Rome, an international organization.According to the sources, the move has been taken to ensure the safety and quality of Indian spices that are exported to other countries. Notably, Singapore and Hong Kong have banned the sale of MDH and Everest spice mixes alleging that they contain elevated levels of ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing pesticide.Meanwhile, other countries, like New Zealand, the United States, and Australia have also raised concerns about the quality of Indian spices.What is Ethylene OxideEthylene oxide is a chemical used to sterilize spices, but excessive exposure to it can pose health risks. By requesting an international committee to establish these limits, India is taking proactive measures to safeguard public health and maintain the quality of its spice exports. Countries must work together on such issues to create unified standards that protect consumers worldwide.
