After Singapore and Hong Kong, Nepal has banned the consumption and sale of spices produced by Everest and MDH amid concerns over traces of harmful chemicals in the products. Nepal's Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has started testing the spices from the two Indian brands for ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing pesticide, ANI reported.
"Everest and MDH brand spices have been banned from import... we also have banned the sale of them on the market. This comes after the news about traces of harmful chemicals in the spices," Mohan Krishna Maharjan, spokesperson of Nepal's food technology department, told ANI.
"Tests are underway for the chemicals in the spices of these two particular brands. The ban will remain in place until the final report comes up," Maharjan further said.
MDH and Everest have been household names in India for decades and their range of spices are exported to several countries, including the Middle East.
The spices of MDH and Everest have also come under scrutiny in New Zealand, the United States and Australia, Reuters reported.
"Ethylene oxide is a chemical known to cause cancer in humans, and its use for food sterilisation has been phased out in New Zealand and other countries. As MDH and Everest spices are also available in New Zealand, we are looking into this issue," said Jenny Bishop, the acting deputy director general of New Zealand's food safety regulator, told Reuters.
In April, the Hong Kong food safety body banned four spice products of the two brands. Days later, Singapore's Food Agency (SFA) recalled Everest's Fish Curry Masala due to exceeding permissible levels of ethylene oxide.
The government's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already ordered quality checks on products of MDH and Everest. It has also sought details from the food safety regulators of Hong Kong and Singapore.
