Everest Food Products, manufacturer of popular spice mixes has come under the scanner of Indian Authorities after its sale was banned in Hong Kong. Everest Masala ban in Hong Kong cautioned other countries as well with Singapore starting an investigation by taking a sample of the same masala. Not only Everest, Hong Kong also banned Indian Spice brand MDH after authorities detected the presence of carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide in several spice mixes. Following regulatory actions taken in both Hong Kong and Singapore, the Central Government also initiated quality checks on Everest products on April 22. Amid Everest Spice ban controversy, the Indian Spice company issued a statement and clarified that it has not been banned but one of its product has been recalled.
The Company's spokesperson was quoted saying, "Everest is not banned in either country..Singapore's food safety authority referred to Hong Kong's recall alert and asked our Singapore importer to recall and temporarily hold the product for further inspection.."
Everest stated that only one of its range of 60 products has been held for examination and assured consumers that its products are "safe and of high quality".
List of Everest & MDH masalas under scrutiny
As per Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS), MDH's three products - Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala, and Curry Powder - along with Everest's Fish Curry Masala contain "a pesticide, ethylene oxide". Following the suit and caution alarmed by Hong Kong, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ordered a recall of Everest's Fish Curry Masala due to the presence of ethylene oxide at levels "exceeding the permissible limit".
For the unversed, Ethylene oxide is classified as a 'Group 1 carcinogen' by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.