For the last month, 111 producers of spices had their manufacturing licenses revoked by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which directed them to immediately cease production, according to a report published by Mint.
After discovering that recent spice samples from India had ethylene oxide levels above what was allowed in some international markets, the FSSAI took action. As it continues to analyze 4,000 samples around the country, the agency may cancel the licenses of an additional 111 spice makers. Among the well-known brands represented in these samples are Everest, MDH, Catch, and Badshah.
“The food regulatory agency has examined 2,200 samples so far, and 111 spice producers were unable to meet the minimal standards for product quality. Production has already ceased and the license of these spice manufacturers has already been revoked with immediate effect, an official who asked to remain anonymous told Mint.
The individual went on, “It’s taking longer to compile the list of businesses whose licenses need to be revoked because there aren’t as many testing facilities under the FSSAI right now. The testing process is ongoing, and the organization is also monitoring the remaining producers.”
The bulk of the revoked licenses, according to the officials, are held by minor spice producers from Tamil Nadu and Kerala; Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh are also being investigated. The majority of these 111 businesses are small-scale and are not reachable because they do not have official websites, phone numbers, or email addresses.
Reputable Indian spice producers like MDH and Everest faced criticism earlier this year over quality issues in foreign markets like the US, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
