The government is formulating guidelines on the use of ethylene oxide (ETO) in samples of spices for the domestic market and exports, people aware of the matter said, as it plans to step up efforts to make quality checks more stringent.
ETO, a flammable, colourless gas, is typically used as a disinfectant. It is also used as a sterilising agent and an insecticide to reduce microbial contamination in spices.
However, its use is considered carcinogenic, beyond permissible limits.
Currently, ETO is not allowed in spices for domestic consumption.
However, the tolerance or the permissible limit is applicable in the case of selling products to the international market and is generally fixed by importing countries.
“India is intolerant to ETO and the detection rate is 0.10 per cent, which means that it should be absent.
"The same rule should also apply to exports as well.
"It should not be used by industry for sterilisation.
"It should not be used in crops either.
"This will be done through stronger monitoring by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for the domestic market,” one of the persons cited above told Business Standard.
The Spices Board of India, which comes under the commerce department, is stepping up monitoring.
“If ETO-free products are traded in the domestic market, it will ensure that only ETO-free products are exported,” the person said.
The move comes against the backdrop of the recall of India-based Everest and MDH spices by Singapore and Hong Kong for allegedly containing pesticide ‘ethylene oxide’ beyond permissible limits.
The FSSAI and Spices Board of India are working in tandem to firm up a standard operating procedure for the domestic and international markets.
The guidelines will be a step towards increasing awareness of regulations in the industry, which has few large companies, while 80 per cent of the market is dominated by the unorganised sector.
To address concerns regarding ETO contamination, the Spices Board on Thursday said it had decided to commence mandatory ETO testing in spice consignments exported to Singapore and Hong Kong from May 6.
The testing for ETO is mandatory only for European nations since the European Union insisted on making ETO test reports mandatory along with export consignments.
The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think tank, last week said India needed to address the quality issues with urgency and transparency.
“Erring firms should face immediate repercussions.
"However, the response from Indian authorities has been tepid and formulaic.
"Following international criticism, the Spices Board and the FSSAI began routine sampling, yet no definitive statements about spice quality have been issued by them or any other government agencies,” the GTRI said.
During 2023-24, India’s exports of spices totalled $4.25 billion, accounting for 12 per cent globally.
