Spiked spices

A safer food system that prioritises the well-being of consumers is the need of the hour.

Masala, or a mixture of spices, has been part of our daily food since time immemorial, and it’s hard to imagine lip-smacking, savoury food without them. Among the many brands available, Indian products like MDH and Everest are popular in Nepali kitchens. Unfortunately, some of these so-called “kitchen kings” (MDH’s Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, Curry Powder Mix Masala Powder and Everest’s Fish Curry Masala) have recently been banned in Hong Kong and Singapore. They have been found contaminated with harmful ethylene oxide (a carcinogenic pesticide) exceeding permissible limits. The presence of carcinogenic in these spices is “ unsuitable for human health ”, as exposure to it can lead to lymphoma, leukaemia and stomach and breast cancers.