A box marking MDH’s 100th anniversary sits beside a home altar at a shop in Delhi’s historic district on May 3, 2024. Reuters
Recent inspections have revealed concerns about the quality of certain spices, particularly those from two major Indian brands, MDH and Everest. After Hong Kong banned some products from these brands in April due to pesticide contamination, other countries, including Britain, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia, began investigating the issue.
According to data from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, nearly 12% of the spice samples tested between May and early July failed to meet safety and quality standards. This includes 474 out of 4,054 samples that did not pass the inspections.
Despite these findings, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has stated that there is currently no evidence suggesting that products from these brands available in Canada are affected. The CFIA is continuing to monitor the situation closely.
MDH and Everest, two of the most popular spice brands in India, have defended their products, claiming they are safe for consumption. Both brands are major players in the global spice market, which saw India's exports reach a record $4.46 billion for the fiscal year ending in March.
India’s domestic spice market, valued at $10.44 billion in 2022, remains a crucial part of the country's economy. While the inspections have raised concerns, no detailed reports have been made available about which specific brands failed the tests. The Indian safety agency has mentioned that penalties have been imposed on the companies involved but did not provide further details.
As more countries assess the safety of imported spices, the focus remains on ensuring that affected products do not reach consumers and that proper safety measures are in place.
