Purity of Spices: A Growing Concern for FSSAI

Spices are a vital part of Indian cuisine that enrich dishes with unique flavors and cultural significance. However, as the demand for spices grows, concerns about their purity have surfaced. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the safety and quality of food products across the country. It ensures that spices meet strict quality standards. Despite these regulations, adulteration remains a rising concern in the market. It emphasizes the need for strong quality control and great consumer awareness. In this blog, you will learn about “Purity of Spices: A Growing Concern for FSSAI”.

What is Spice Adulteration?

Spice adulteration occurs when harmful, low-quality, or non-food substances are added to spices. This is done to increase weight, enhance appearance, or cut costs. These actions can lead to serious health hazards for the public. They also weaken food safety standards and pose a risk to the quality of food products.

Common Adulterants in Spices

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), common adulterants include:

• Black Pepper: This is adulterated with Papaya seeds, starch, and sawdust, which leads to liver issues and digestive disorders.
• Turmeric: Turmeric contains lead chromate, metanil yellow, Chalk powder, starch, etc. These adulterants are carcinogenic and can cause serious health problems like cancer, liver damage, anemia, etc.
• Chili Powder: Chili powder is mixed with brick powder, artificial colors, grit, sand, etc. It potentially causes stomach irritation and cancer.
• Coriander Powder: This powder is adulterated with cow dung powder and sawdust, which leads to stomach infections and other health issues.    
• Asafoetida (Hing): Asafoetida (Hing) contains soapstone and foreign resin, which can cause dysentery, stomach disorders, and other digestive issues.
• Cumin: Cumin is adulterated with grass seeds and charcoal dust. This potentially causes liver and digestive problems.
• Saffron: Saffron mixed with colored maize filaments and gelatine strands, which leads to allergic reactions and digestive issues.
• Cinnamon: It is substituted with cassia, which contains coumarin, a compound that can cause liver damage.

Cloves: The use of exhausted cloves lacks essential oils. This reduces therapeutic properties and potentially causing digestive issues.

Purity Issues in Spices

Purity concerns in spices, particularly adulteration and contamination. These concerns poses a serious risk to food safety and health. Recent tests showed that approximately 12% of Indian spice samples failed to meet quality and safety standards. The issues include harmful adulterants and contamination with ethylene oxide. These findings highlight the potential risks of international contamination and emphasize the need for stricter regulations to ensure spice safety.

Here is a detailed explanation:

1. Adulteration in Spices

Adulteration is a major issue in the spice industry, especially with powdered spices. Common harmful additives include starch, sawdust, artificial coloring, and even dangerous substances like lead chromate. To handle this problem, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the sale of loose ground spices due to their high risk of contamination. To stay safe, consumers should choose whole spices whenever possible and buy packaged products from trusted brands with certifications.

2. Contamination in Spices

Spices can become contaminated in different ways, such as through harmful pesticides or microbes. In 2024, spice mixes from well-known brands like MDH and Everest were found to contain ethylene oxide and a cancer-causing chemical. This led to product recalls in multiple countries, raising serious concerns about spice safety and quality control.

The Impact of Adulteration on the Spice Industry

Below are the key impacts of Adulteration on the Spice Industry:

• Health Hazards

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) tested 23,898 spice samples from 2022 to 2024 and identified 1,241 as unsafe for consumption. Carcinogenic contaminants, such as ethylene oxide, were found in products from popular brands. This led to recalls and bans in several countries that raising concerns about public health risks.

• Economic and Trade Consequences

In 2023, the USA and Germany rejected 8% and 18% of Indian spice exports, respectively, due to pesticide residues. If these rejections persist, a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative estimates that over half of India's spice exports, valued at $2.17 billion, could be impacted. An EU-wide ban could lead to a further $2.5 billion loss, which totals a potential 58.8% decrease in India's spice export revenue.

• Regulatory and Enforcement Challenges

India faces significant challenges in food safety due to limited resources. There are only 73 laboratories equipped for advanced pesticide residue testing, which results in delays. Furthermore, about 90% of food business operators are under state jurisdiction, where enforcement of food safety regulations is inconsistent and leads to ineffective regulation.

• Consumer Confidence and Domestic Market Impact

The discovery of adulterants in commonly used spices has caused serious health concerns among Indian consumers. In response, the FSSAI has launched quality checks and increased surveillance to rebuild public trust. It ensures that spice products meet proper safety standards.

FSSAI's Regulatory Framework on Spices

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has established a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure the safety, quality, and authenticity of spices in India. Below are the key components of this framework:

1. Standards for Spices and Condiments

FSSAI has specified detailed standards for various spices and condiments under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. These standards define the quality parameters, permissible limits of contaminants, and other specifications to ensure the safety and purity of spices

2. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Pesticides

To control pesticide residues in spices, FSSAI has established Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for various pesticides applicable to spices and culinary herbs. These limits are specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations.

3. Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Guidance

FSSAI has developed a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) guidance document for the spice industry. This document provides detailed information on good manufacturing practices, hazard analysis, and critical control points to ensure the production of safe and high-quality spices.

4. Manual for Analysis of Spices

FSSAI has published a manual detailing the methods for analyzing spices, herbs, and condiments. This manual outlines the procedures for detecting adulterants and ensuring compliance with established standards.

5. Labelling and Display Regulations

Under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, FSSAI mandates specific labelling requirements for pre-packaged spices. These include declarations of ingredients, net weight, manufacturer details, and other essential information to ensure transparency and inform consumer choices.

6. Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses

According to the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, all food businesses, including those involved in spice production or trade, must get licensed or registered with the FSSAI. This rule helps businesses follow proper safety guidelines and remain responsible for maintaining the quality and safety of the food products they offer.

7. Spices Board of India

The Spices Board of India, which operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, works closely with FSSAI to promote the export of Indian spices while ensuring their quality. It plays a key role in setting quality benchmarks. This offers certification for exports and conducting research to enhance the safety and overall standards of Indian spices.

Here are the key challenges and their corresponding solutions:

• Adulteration with Harmful Substances

A common problem with spices is adulteration. Harmful substances like artificial colors, starch, or chalk powder are often added. These are used to improve appearance or increase weight. However, they can be dangerous to health. FSSAI has developed the “Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART)” booklet to help consumers. This booklet provides simple tests to identify common adulterants in spices and other food items.

• Inadequate Testing Infrastructure

One major challenge in monitoring spice purity is the lack of advanced testing laboratories across the country. To improve this, FSSAI has recognized several National Food Laboratories and accredited labs to strengthen testing facilities and grants better food safety nationwide.

• Lack of Awareness Among Consumers and Vendors

A major issue is that many consumers and small-scale vendors are unaware of the risks associated with adulterated spices and the methods to detect them. FSSAI conducts regular awareness campaigns and training programs to educate people about safe food practices.  

• Inconsistent Enforcement of Regulations

One major challenge is that food safety rules are not enforced equally in every state, which leads to uneven control over spice adulteration. To resolve this issue, FSSAI works closely with state food safety departments to ensure consistent application of rules and regularly carries out audits to check compliance.

• Storage and Handling Issues

Improper storage and poor handling of spices can cause contamination and lower their quality. FSSAI has introduced clear guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) to address this issue and help food businesses maintain spice safety and quality throughout the supply chain.

Conclusion

Spice adulteration is a serious issue that affects public health and damages consumer trust. FSSAI is working hard to improve testing, raise awareness, enforce strict safety standards, and more. Consumers should stay alert, buy from trusted sources, and check for FSSAI certification. By following responsible practices and enforcing strong regulations, the purity and safety of spices can be protected. If you want to obtain an FSSAI registration or license for your Spice business, contact Online Legal India to get assistance.