Maldives bans two Indian curry powder brands over pesticide contamination
These are two product lines that are imported and used in large quantities in Maldives.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Two very popular brands of curry powder from India have been banned from being imported and sold in Maldives.
Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) issued an alert banning:
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Everest brand curry powder products
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MDH brand curry powder products
Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) advised people to stop consuming four products of the two Indian brands on April 5. In a release, the authority said, "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."
According to the MFDA, ethylene oxide is a colorless gas commonly used as a pesticide and sterilizing agent. Ethylene oxide is carcinogenic to humans, meaning it is cancer-causing.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also decided to test the brand's products. These are very popular global products, even in the United States.
These are two product lines that are imported and used in large quantities in Maldives. Therefore, the authority is now working to identify the products and the risks it poses.
