Beware Of Spice Brands

Two popular Indian spice brands are now under scrutiny of the government in the United States, the Maldives, Singapore and China’s Hong Kong for allegedly containing cancer-causing chemicals called ethylene oxide exceeding the acceptable limits. Spices are the key staples in the South Asian nations.  They basically elevate the flavour of the food and make it taste more delicious. With rising globalisation and migration of people belonging to the South Asian countries around the world, the demand for those spices are quite high in the Western world. Considered to be highly trusted brands, they have been popular household names over the years.

And Nepal is no exception. The spice brands are found in abundance for various delicacies in the nearest stores and supermarkets across the country. So, these researches are really concerning and problematic. Even as these studies come up, there are a large number of consumers who continue making purchases while being completely unaware of this. Ethylene oxide has been considered a highly cancerous chemical. Apparently, this chemical has the potential to increase the risk of various types of cancer such as breast cancer in female and lymphoid cancer. 

The real use of ethylene oxide is to basically produce other chemicals, including antifreeze. It is used as a pesticide and a sterilising agent. So, in the spices, its main use is to ensure that the spices last for a long time. However, when exceeded above the correct level, they can turn into a lethal poison for human health. The government’s authority -- Department of Food Technology and Quality Control -- has said that it would test the samples. Once the testing is done, necessary action will be taken if the pesticides exceed the required level. 

Nepal government must also come up with efforts to try to understand and create awareness among people about any potential negative effects of packaged food materials. Because it is consumed in mass quantities, its effect on human health can be more harsh and harmful. Today, cancer has become a common disease around the world. One of its reasons is rising human activities and growing dependency on manufactured food items and preservatives. To ensure that the manufactured food items and materials do not get spoiled and their expectancy remains for a long time, chemicals are used. 

However, a lack of timely monitoring and immediate corrective measures has the potential to cause huge damage to the people’s health. After facing quality allegations, one of the brands has rejected the claim. It states that the spices are safe for consumption and that the regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have not communicated with them. And it has said that it does not make use of ethylene oxide at any stage of storing, packaging or processing. 

While more studies are being done and regulations are put in place, these incidents and allegations shed light on a major issue that the general public face i.e. the lack of monitoring and quality assurance in various materials sold in the market targeting consumers. The concerned authorities should perform immediate studies to remain clear on the matter. Because it is a major public health concern, it cannot and should not be taken lightly. The monitoring authorities must keep taking necessary steps to control the sale and consumption of unhealthy and hazardous food items for the well-being of consumers.