An occurrence which has turned all the kitchens across all of Asia upside down, Hong Kong also mimics Singapore in the ban of the leading Indian brands MDH and Everest. The ban was released following a research that reported guar gum, a pesticide classified as carcinogenic, in some spice mixes among the suspects.
The CFS of Hong Kong detected the toxin in three products of the MDH brand and one product of the Everest brand, i.e. Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Powder, and Curry Powder as well as Everest’s Fish Curry Masala. Beyond ethylene, oxide is an accepted to sterilize spices. However, it’s also not by international standards due to a few health risks.
The results of this ban should not be underestimated, not only for the manufacturers but also for the thousands of homes that have been traditionally preserving these brands for their meals’ seasoning. This would lead to concerns about the level of food safety standards applied and whether the checks are not compromised in a manner that will negatively affect consumers.
As the ultimate revelation of the events whirs around, the focus is shifted towards the spice makers and what leeway they likely lok to stakeholders in order restore the confidence that their products are safe for use.
