The troubles of MDH, a famous household spices company, seem to be increasing. America has taken action against Mahashiyan Di Hatti i.e. MDH company. US Customs authorities returned 31 percent of all spice shipments sent by MDH in the last six months. In the last US fiscal year, 15 percent of MDH spice shipments were returned. US Custom Authorities have taken action against MDH Spices in the case of Salmonella contamination. The rejection rate of malas shipped by MDH by US customs authorities has doubled since October 2023. The reason behind the return of the spices is said to be Salmonella contamination. Let us tell you that Salmonella is a group of bacteria and it is found in the intestines of animals.
The doubling of rejections of MDH spices over Salmonella contamination in recent months comes as Singapore and Hong Kong both reported the presence of cancer-causing pesticides in the spices. But after finding out, the sale of MDH and Everest products has been banned. MDH and Everest are among the most well-known spice brands in India as well as across the world.
After October 2023, approximately one-third of all MDH shipments, i.e. 11 shipments, have been rejected by US customs authorities. These include spices, flavors and salts of MDH. All this happened at the time when the new financial year (from October 1 to September 30) started in America. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the food safety department of America, told that between October 2022 and September 2023, i.e. during the last financial year, the rejection rate of MDH spices was 15 percent.
What is the cause of Salmonella contamination?
According to information received from the data, all MDH export shipments rejected since October 2020 were on the basis of Salmonella contamination. When spices are used this way, foods contaminated with Salmonella bacteria can cause a serious stomach infection that causes damage to the intestine if not cooked properly. Food safety experts say that Salmonella contamination occurs due to unhygienic practice i.e. lack of attention to cleanliness. If cleanliness is maintained from harvesting, processing to packaging of spices, then the possibility of Salmonella contamination is eliminated.
USFDA inspected MDH plant in January 2022
The FDA inspected MDH’s plant in January 2022, during which it noted that “the plant did not have adequate cleaning and maintenance practices.” It also observed that the plant’s “equipment and utensils were not protected from contamination.” Was not designed and constructed to be adequately cleaned or maintained. MDH has not yet responded to an email query seeking comment.
MDH has reacted to the action of Hong Kong and Singapore
Quoting MDH, news agency Reuters said that the company’s products are safe for use and the company has not received any information from the regulatory and authorities in Hong Kong or Singapore about alleged contamination in MDH products. Hong Kong this month banned the sale of three MDH spices and Everest spice for fish curry. Singapore has ordered the recall of Everest spice mix, saying it contains high amounts of ethylene oxide (ETO), which is not suitable for human consumption, and also warned that there is a risk of cancer if used for a long time. Could. MDH said in a statement on Sunday that we assure our buyers and customers that we do not use ethylene oxide at any stage of storage, processing or packaging of our spices. However, MDH’s response to the American action is awaited.
Reuters had reported on Saturday that the US Food Safety Department USFDA is collecting information related to the products of MDH and Everest. MDH and Everest spices are most popular in India and are also sold in Europe, Asia and North America. Following steps taken in Hong Kong and Singapore, the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) is examining the quality standards of both MDH and Everest companies. MDH said India’s FSSAI and the Spices Board have not received any information or test reports from authorities in Hong Kong or Singapore. The statement said that this reinforces the fact that the allegations made against MDH are baseless, baseless and not supported by any solid evidence. Everest has previously said its spices are safe for consumption.
Mahashiyan Di Hatti i.e. MDH company does the business of spices and is the leading spice manufacturing company in the country. The spice manufacturing company said through its social media platform that we manufacture MDH spices, we say that amid speculations about the presence of the alleged pesticide Ethylene Oxide (ETO) in our product, we clarify that these claims are false and There is no concrete evidence in these.
We the manufacturers of MDH spices, we state that amidst speculations doing round that there is presence of ETO in our products, we clarify and state unequivocally that these claims are untrue and lack any substantiating evidence. Additionally, MDH has not received any… pic.twitter.com/O5H9lvPzJh
— MDH Spices Official (@SpicesMdh) April 28, 2024
He said that MDH has not received any message from the regulatory authorities of Singapore or Hong Kong. Our statement is also supported by the fact that nodal regulatory authorities like Spice Board of India and FSSAI have not received any communication or test report from Hong Kong or Singapore authorities regarding this matter. This reinforces the fact that the allegations against MDH are baseless and not supported by any solid evidence.
MDH further confirms that we assure our buyers and customers that we do not use Ethylene Oxide (ETO) at any stage of storing, processing or packing our spices. Our impressive 105 year old heritage of providing high quality products underlines our dedication in maintaining the trust of our consumers. MDH’s commitment to quality and safety is reflected in our dedication to maintaining the standards set by our late Founder Chairman, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, whose legacy is carried forward by his son, Mahashay Rajeev Gulati, Chairman, MDH Group. Their ethos of promoting and selling only products they would consume themselves underlines the company’s unwavering focus on producing safe and healthy spices.
MDH Group assures its customers that we adhere to health and safety standards both domestically and internationally. MDH’s tagline Asli Masala Sach Sach, MDH MDH and Real Spices of India reflect the company’s genuine commitment to providing authentic, high-quality spices to its customers. This message of assurance, coupled with their track record of reliability and excellence, is likely to resonate strongly with their valued customers, strengthening their confidence in MDH products.