In Europe and in our country, the greatest attention has been paid especially to two companies that trade spices coming fromIndia after the Indian Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) reported the presence of chemical substances, in this specific case it concerns ethylene oxidein 527 products marketed under the brands Mdh and Everest also present on European shelves.
Marketing ban
The alarm was raised thanks to the Hong Kong government which in recent weeks has analyzed numerous samples of Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Powder and Mdh curry powder, raising major concerns about the safety of these food products and the risks associated with health. Of all the products reported, only two were animal feed, all the others intended for human consumption. As the media explains, over half of them had the Indian label as their country of origin. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had already carried out many tests between 2020 and 2024 on a wide range of products including nuts and sesame seeds, herbs and spices, dietary foods and other related products by promptly removing from market those that had high values of this gas.
What is ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide, in fact, “it is an odorless and colorless gas currently used for the sterilization of products in the pharmaceutical and medical sector. It is highly appreciated and suitable for its effectiveness at low temperatures. His ability to damage DNA of microorganisms makes it an effective product for sterilization; however, it can also lead to carcinogenic activities“, explains Food Regulations. The presence of ethylene oxide in food products is also worrying because it can lead to the formation of ethylene glycol, a by-product linked to the death of children in Africa because, albeit in minimal quantities, it is present in some cough syrups.
The foods in which they can be found in large and harmful quantities are sesame seeds, carob seed flour, food supplements, spices and aromatic herbs but also flours, cereals and starches. In Italy, at the moment, the situation remains largely under control: our Ministry of Health, for the moment, has not carried out any recalls given that Mdh and Everest branded spices should not be present on Italian shelves. The warning, however, even for those traveling in Europe is to pay close attention to which products you buy and make sure you stay away from these two companies in particular.
Some experts explain that prolonged exposure to ethylene oxide can also cause various types of tumors including lymphomas and leukemias. “The risk is not limited to direct consumption alone but the handling of a contaminated product can also pose a risk to health“.
The Indian FSSAI has increased controls to ensure that those products meet the safety standards required to be on the market and consumed.
