Efforts are underway to improve compliance and prevent Indian spices from being rejected in the global market in the future. One key area of focus is food traceability, which helps track the journey of spices from farm to fork.
This comes after several countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Nepal, last month recalled some spices manufactured by a well-known Indian spice brand.
“In 2023-24, of the nearly 1.4 million tonnes of spices, 99.8 per cent met national quality requirements and only 0.2 per cent of the total consignments were non-compliant. Meanwhile, 0.73 per cent of imported food consignments were non-compliant. There has been a significant decline in warnings on Indian exports of food commodities to the European Union due to ethylene oxide (EtO),” a senior commerce and industry ministry official said.
Another official clarified that ethylene oxide is a very common fumigation agent used in food and medicine, and that if properly vented, ethylene oxide will exit the system and pose no problem. But if not properly aerated, it will react with chlorine in food particles to form 2-chloroethanol, officials said.
MDH and Everest Factory Compliance Issues
Ranjit Vikram Singh, founder of Masaledani, said, “During inspections by the Spices Board of India, several compliance issues were identified at the MDH and Everest factories. According to media reports, these issues include use of unapproved sterilisation methods, poor hygiene practices, inadequate storage facilities and non-compliance with labelling regulations.”
Officials clarified that ethylene oxide is a very common fumigant used in food and medicine (Source: Freepik)
He explains that the purpose of these inspections is to ensure that companies adhere to strict food safety standards, including proper documentation of the supply chain, quality control during production, and compliance with permitted levels of contaminants and residues. Ensuring compliance is crucial to maintaining the safety and quality of spices, which are widely consumed and exported.
Food traceability in India
“Food traceability is the process of tracking the movement of food through the various stages of production, processing and distribution. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) administers these regulations. Traceability is essential in identifying the source of contamination, minimizing losses in the event of a recall, and maintaining consumer confidence,” he says.
However, he admits that implementing traceability in the spice industry is difficult due to the large number of small producers and intermediaries involved. “This fragmented supply chain makes it difficult to create standardized tracking methods and maintain traceability compliance.”
Key areas requiring improvement in India's food traceability system
To reduce rejection of spice exports and improve the overall quality of spices, India’s food traceability system requires several improvements.
Standardization: Implement industry-wide guidelines and protocols for traceability to ensure consistency across the supply chain.
Technology integration: Utilize blockchain technology to achieve supply chain transparency and real-time monitoring, providing an immutable record of transactions.
Training and awareness: Educate farmers and processors about the benefits of traceability and provide them with the tools and resources they need to implement effective tracking systems.
Regulatory monitoring: Strengthen enforcement of traceability regulations to ensure compliance and address gaps in existing systems.
Infrastructure development: Invest in appropriate infrastructure, including advanced storage and transportation facilities, to support comprehensive tracking of spices.
“By implementing these, India will be able to significantly improve the traceability and quality of spices, ensure compliance with global standards and reduce the risk of export refusal. This will help the Indian spice industry maintain its reputation of producing quality products and ensure the safety and satisfaction of consumers across the world,” Singh asserted.
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First uploaded on: 23 May 2024, 10:27 IST
