MDH Spice Shipments Rejected In US Before Hong Kong Ban: Report

MDH, a renowned Indian spice brand, recently faced scrutiny for alleged contamination in some of its products, leading to an average rejection rate of 14.5% of its US shipments due to bacterial presence, as per a Reuters analysis of US regulatory data.

Last month, Hong Kong and Singapore banned certain spice products from MDH and Everest, another popular Indian spice brand, citing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide. Ethylene oxide, deemed unsafe for human consumption with prolonged exposure potentially leading to cancer, was the concern.

Both MDH and Everest have maintained that their products are safe. MDH specifically clarified that it does not utilize ethylene oxide in storing, processing, or packing spices.

According to Reuters' compilation of data from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MDH products faced rejection in the US due to the presence of salmonella, a bacteria known to cause gastrointestinal illnesses.

The FDA data revealed that approximately 20% of MDH's 65 shipments to the US were rejected between October 2023 and May 3, 2024, after failing quality checks. These rejected shipments contained mixed spices, seasoning, and fenugreek, among other items.

In FY 2022-23, about 15% of MDH's 119 shipments were rejected mainly due to salmonella, while the rejection rate was 8.19% in FY 2021-22, the data indicated.

In contrast, Everest experienced fewer rejections in the US, with only one out of 450 shipments rejected in FY 2023-24 due to salmonella.

In FY 2022-23, around 3.7% of Everest's shipments to the US were rejected, while there were no rejections among the company's 189 shipments in the previous year, according to the data.

In 2019, some batches of MDH products were recalled in the US due to salmonella concerns.

Everest also faced a recall in the US last year, with the FDA recalling a few of its products over suspected salmonella presence and issuing a public health alert.

Additionally, Singapore's Food Agency (SFA) recalled Everest's Fish Curry Masala recently for exceeding permissible levels of ethylene oxide. While SFA clarified that low levels of ethylene oxide pose no immediate risk, prolonged exposure could be hazardous due to its carcinogenic nature.

Following the recalls in Singapore and Hong Kong, the Spices Board of India mandated testing for ethylene oxide in spice consignments bound for these countries, working with exporters to identify the root cause and propose corrective actions.