Nepal bans import, consumption and sale of MDH, Everest spice products

Nepal has banned the import, consumption and sale of powdered spice products sold by Indian firms Everest and MDH, reported ANI on Thursday.

The decision comes as the country’s Department of Food Technology and Quality Control moves to test the levels of ethylene oxide in the spice products imported from India.

Mohan Krishna Maharjan, the spokesperson for the department, said that the ban was imposed a week earlier after reports emerged of traces of harmful chemical in the spice mixtures. “We have also banned the sale of it in the market,” he added.

Maharjan said that the ban would will be enforced until the final test reports were available and pointed out that Hong Kong and Singapore have banned the import of Everest and MDH spice products over contamination concerns.

On Wednesday, the United Kingdom imposed additional quality control measures on all spice products imported from India after reports of alleged contamination of powdered spice products sold by Everest and MDH.

This came after Hong Kong and Singapore raised an alarm about the presence of ethylene oxide in powdered spices sold by Everest and MDH.

Hong Kong banned the sale of and recalled four spice products imported from India – MDH Madras Curry Powder, MDH Sambhar Masala, MDH Curry Powder and Everest Fish Curry Masala. It noted that the International Agency...

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