Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has issued an import and distribution ban on two brands of curry powders into the country today: Everest and MDH brands.
Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has issued an import and distribution ban on two brands of curry powders into the country today.
In a statement released by the authority, it was detailed that the two brands, Everest and MDH, were banned after ethylene oxide was found to be present in the contents of some varieties of the brands’ packaged content.
“Singapore Food Agency and Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety have issued a warning against the use of two Indian brands, Everest and MDH after certain products of brand’s curry powders were found to contain ethylene oxide, and [therefore] order the removal of the products from the market,” MFDA’s statement read.
Ethylene oxide is a chemical used to fumigate agricultural produce. Considering the negative impacts on health, it is not recommended to use the substance in food products, said MFDA.
The authority’s statement further highlighted that these curry powders from both brands are imported and used in the Maldives in a significant capacity. In light of this, MFDA is now working to further understand the risks associated with the use of these products.
As such, MFDA ordered a ban on the import and distribution of the products as a safety measure.
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