New Zealand Investigates Indian Spice Brands MDH and Everest

New Zealand’s food safety regulator is investigating possible contamination in spice products from two top Indian brands, MDH and Everest, following global scrutiny over cancer-causing pesticide contamination. The investigation comes after the United States, Australia, and Singapore initiated probes into the spices due to high levels of ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen.

New Zealand Food Safety stated that ethylene oxide use for food sterilization has been phased out in the country and elsewhere. While MDH and Everest claim their products are safe, regulators in India have also conducted inspections and testing, with results pending. MDH and Everest have been popular Indian brands for decades and are exported worldwide, including to New Zealand.