NEW DELHI: The government of Hong Kong has banned four products of Indian manufacturers MDH Pvt. and Everest Food Products Pvt. in the country.
A press release by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that “samples of several kinds of prepackaged spice mix products were found to contain a pesticide, ethylene oxide.” “Members of the public should not consume the affected products. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess any of them,” it advised in a press release dated April 5.
These products include MDH’s Madras curry powder, sambhar masala mixed masala powder and curry powder mixed masala powder, and Everest’s fish curry masala.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), too, has ordered the recall of Everest’s fish curry masala, citing the presence of the pesticide ethylene oxide at a level which is not fit for human consumption. “The Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong has issued a notification on the recall of Everest Fish Curry Masala from India due to the presence of ethylene oxide at levels exceeding permissible limit. As the implicated products were imported into Singapore, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has directed the importer, Sp Muthiah & Sons Pte. Ltd., to recall the products. The recall is ongoing,” a press release, dated April 18, said.
The CFS said it had collected the samples from three retail outlets in Tsim Sha Tsui respectively for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. “The test results showed that the samples contained a pesticide, ethylene oxide. The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected products,” it said.
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen. According to the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM), a food for human consumption containing pesticide residue may only be sold if consumption of the food is not dangerous or prejudicial to health,” it added.
According to CFS, “an offender is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.”
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