Health ministry clarifies status of Indian spices amid global quality concerns

New Delhi: The Indian spice industry breathed a collective sigh of relief following a recent statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In the wake of widespread speculation regarding the quality and safety of Indian spices, the Ministry provided a clear and reassuring update that aims to put an end to the ongoing uncertainty.

Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, addressed concerns about the status of Indian spice products in international markets, particularly Singapore and Hong Kong. In her statement, she clarified that these countries had placed certain spice shipments under a “Hold-And-Test” regime—a standard procedure for ensuring food safety. She emphasized that this was not a ban on any Indian spice products or brands, but rather a routine check to maintain quality standards.

Sanjeev Shah, Chairman of Everest Food Products, one of India’s leading spice brands, welcomed the Ministry’s clarification. He stated, “This announcement is a significant boost for the Indian spice industry. We want to emphasize that Everest products were never banned in Singapore, Hong Kong, or any other country. The speculative conversations in the past few months on various platforms have caused unnecessary confusion. Everest Foods would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our loyal customers, distributors, and stakeholders for their continued support of the brand.”