Nepal Bans Sale of Everest, MDH Spices

Earlier, Singapore and Hong Kong banned the consumption and sale of spices?

Nepal has banned the consumption and sale of spices produced by Everest and MDH due to concerns over traces of harmful chemicals in the products. Earlier, Singapore and Hong Kong banned the products.

News agency ANI reported that Nepal's Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has started testing the spices from the two Indian brands for ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing pesticide.

"Everest and MDH brand spices have been banned from import... we also have banned the sale of the market. This comes after the news about traces of harmful chemicals in the spices," Mohan Krishna Maharjan, spokesperson of Nepal's food technology department, told ANI.

"Tests are going on for the chemicals in the spices of these two particular brands. The ban will remain in place until the final report comes up," Maharjan further said.

MDH and Everest have been household names in India and their range of spices is exported to several countries, including the Middle East.

The spices of MDH and Everest have also come under scrutiny in New Zealand, the United States, and Australia, Reuters reported.

"Ethylene oxide is a chemical known to cause cancer in humans, and its use for food sterilization has been phased out in New Zealand and other countries.

As MDH and Everest's spices are also available in New Zealand, we are looking into this issue," Jenny Bishop, the acting deputy director general of New Zealand's food safety regulator, told Reuters.