Maharashtra FDA bans loose spice powders

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday announced a ban on the sale of loose and unpacked spice powders and mixed spices, making packaging and sealing at the place of production mandatory to prevent adulteration, contamination and ensure traceability.

The food safety regulator has also prohibited the use of ethylene oxide, a flammable and colourless gas, for spice sterilisation.

Speaking to reporters here, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the state government had issued a comprehensive order covering the production, processing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of spices, with strict compliance requirements for all food business operators.

The order covers manufacturers, traders, wholesale and retail sellers, e-commerce operators, hotels, eateries, caterers and institutional kitchens dealing in turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, asafoetida, saffron, poppy seeds, garam masala, curry powder and other spices and spice-based products, said the regulator.

Mundhe said loose spice powders and mixed spices would have to be properly packed and sealed at the place of production before distribution and sale.

The restriction is intended to reduce the risk of adulteration and contamination, and to ensure the quality and origin of products can be traced, the IAS officer explained.

He said the order prohibited the use of harmful and unauthorised colours, including Metanil Yellow, Rhodamine B, Sudan dyes and Lead Chromate, in spices.

Action would be taken against those mixing brick powder, chalk, sawdust, foreign starch and other unauthorised substances to increase the weight or quantity of spices, blending inferior-quality raw material or selling spices from which extracts had been removed, Mundhe warned.

The state's food safety regulator chief insisted spices must not be dried on public roads, tarred surfaces, drains, garbage bins or near cattle sheds.

Production and storage premises must be clean, dry and free of pests, while storing pesticides, industrial colours, chemicals and other harmful substances alongside spices would be prohibited, he maintained.

Mundhe clarified businesses involved in spice production and grinding must possess a valid Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence or registration, as applicable, and could not operate on the basis of a trade licence alone.

Food handlers would also have to meet medical fitness, personal hygiene and training requirements, while businesses would be required to implement a Food Safety Management System, he asserted.

On labelling, he said spice packets must carry the product name, ingredients, manufacturer's details, FSSAI licence number, batch number, date of manufacture or packing, and use-by or best-before date, along with other statutory information.

He emphasised manufacturers and sellers could not make unsubstantiated claims about the purity, naturalness or organic production of spices, or claim health benefits without evidence. Misleading claims would invite action under the applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The order also prohibits the use of ethylene oxide for sterilising spices due to concerns over its potential carcinogenic effects. Only legally permitted sterilisation processes can be used, and spices will be tested for pesticide residues, aflatoxins, heavy metals and other contaminants in accordance with applicable standards, Mundhe said.

He said enforcement would extend beyond retailers to the original producers, grinding and blending units, repacking businesses, suppliers and those providing prohibited colours or other substances used for adulteration.

To trace the source of adulteration, authorities would examine purchase and sale bills, production records, batch numbers and the reconciliation of raw material quantities with finished products. The FDA would coordinate with police and other competent agencies wherever required, he opined.

Mundhe made it clear violations could lead to seizure of food products, stoppage of sales, recalls from the market, suspension or cancellation of licences and court cases, depending on the nature and gravity of the offence.

The order directs food safety officials across Maharashtra to inspect spice businesses and ensure compliance.

Details of inspections, samples and enforcement action must be recorded in the prescribed systems, with designated officers required to submit monthly reports to senior officials, it added.