The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has instructed its food inspectors to collect samples of spices produced by both domestically and abroad, with a particular focus on those from India, for pesticide residue testing.

The department’s move comes amid news reports of several countries recalling Indian spice brands MDH and Everest Masala.

A source at the department informed that a foreign embassy in Nepal has also written to them about pesticide residue found in spices produced by Nepali companies.

Along with spices, Nepal also exports pickles to several countries. Products exported from Nepal were examined in the foreign country, which showed pesticide residue levels exceeding the permissible limit, according to an official at the department.

“We have directed our food inspectors to collect samples of spices produced by both Nepali and foreign companies,” Dr Matina Joshi Vaidhya, director general of the department said, “Spices produced by domestic companies too have been found problematic. As they obtain raw spices from the same sources, spices produced by our national companies may also contain pesticide residue.”

Officials at the department said that spices, especially chilli powder are found problematic.

Earlier, the food regulatory body had decided to carry out testing on the spice of Indian companies—MDH and Everest Masala—after Hong Kong and Singapore banned their sale.

The two islands banned the sale of the products last month citing the detection of carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide beyond permissible levels in the spice mixes.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is gathering information on products of Indian spice makers MDH and Everest. Australia’s food safety agency is collecting information on the possible contamination of spice mixes sold by Indian companies MDH and Everest, according to media reports.

New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest following concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has commissioned quality checks on MDH and Everest products following complaints leading spice brands contained more traces of ethylene oxide than the permissible levels.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has commissioned quality checks on MDH and Everest products. This follows complaints that several popular spice mixes of the two leading brands contained traces of ethylene oxide more than the permissible levels, official sources said.

The food regulatory agency of Hong Kong had allegedly found that three MDH products—Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, Curry Powder Mix Masala Powder—and Everest’s Fish Curry Masala contained the pesticide ethylene oxide, which is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The Singapore Food Agency has also ordered the recall of Everest’s Fish Curry Masala from the market saying it contains the same pesticide (ethylene oxide) beyond permissible limits.

MDH is an Indian spice producer and seller based in New Delhi. Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd (Everest Spices) is an Indian manufacturer, distributor and exporter of ground species and spice mixtures.

Experts say the presence of ethylene oxide, which is a flammable colourless gas with a sweet odour, in the spices, is quite concerning, as varieties of the products of both companies are easily available in Nepal and are popular among the people.

Ethylene oxide is used primarily to produce other chemicals, including antifreeze. In smaller amounts, ethylene oxide is used as a pesticide and sterilising agent.

Lymphoma and leukaemia are the cancers most frequently associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide. Stomach and breast cancers may also be lined with ethylene oxide exposure.

Vaidhya said specific countries have their own acceptable limits for pesticide use and if the spice products are found crossing limits set by the department, it will direct authorities concerned to recall the products from the market.

Consumer rights activists say that authorities concerned must take urgent action as the issue is related to public health.