CommerceMin awaits complaint on chilli shipment

Since 2003, the Spice Board has suspended nine companies after Sudan I, a carcinogenic, was detected in their shipments during pre-shipment checking. Six companies are under suspicion, said Spice Board marketing director S. Kannan.

The UK authorities had recalled back a variety of food items after the discovery of traces of Sudan I in Worcester sauce in which the chilli powder was used. They had also named three Indian companies who had supplied the red chilli.

The spice board authorities say the shipment is from 2002 and that the named companies have already been suspended from exports and their licence revoked.

‘‘They are already out of business,’’ said Kannan and added, ‘‘Importers have to put their house in order. They haven’t done their work properly.’’ Kannan said every day 20 chilli samples are tested for Sudan I and 30 samples are tested for Aflotoxin. The pre-shipment checking, according to the Spice Board, started in 2003 after shipments of chilli powders with the carcinogenic dyes Sudan I and IV were detected by European officials and stopped. The Spices Board identified the guilty exporters and their export licenses were immediately cancelled.