Growing global bans and unfortunate incidents raise concerns regarding the safety of Indian food products.
Recent scrutiny has focused on Indian spices, with the Hong Kong Food Safety Center flagging several Indian spice companies for containing the toxic chemical ethylene oxide, linked to cancer and banned in numerous countries.
This revelation has sparked widespread worries about the safety of Indian spices. Singapore, Maldives, and Hong Kong have all responded by implementing bans on Indian spices in their markets.
The European Union Food Safety Authority has acted decisively, prohibiting more than 500 Indian spices in the last five years alone. However, the issue transcends spices, as nuts, dry fruits, and other food products from India have also been identified as subpar, sparking worldwide apprehension.
In the United States, the problem intensified last year when over 30% of Indian spice imports were turned away due to toxicity and chemical adulteration. Moreover, Indian pharmaceutical companies have faced criticism internationally for manufacturing inferior medicines.
In a heartbreaking event in February 2024, 68 children in Uzbekistan tragically lost their lives following the consumption of cough syrup imported from India.
Subsequent investigations unveiled concerning levels of ethylene glycol in the syrup, underscoring significant shortcomings in safety protocols.
Critics contend that despite these persistent issues, the Modi government seems more intent on advancing its political agenda than addressing urgent issues surrounding food and drug safety.
