Troubled spice route

FSSAI's action is welcome but belated

In a belated move, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has swung into action. It has asked states to collect different brands of powdered spices for testing. This follows a ban imposed in early April by the food regulatory authorities in Singapore and Hong Kong on two widely sold Indian brands, MDH and Everest, in which the presence of the carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide was discovered. Lab reports on samples from India will be placed before an expert committee and a consolidated report is likely in about 25 days. The government is also in the process of