More people reject MDH! In six months, the US has rejected one-third of the spice shipments; see why this rejection rate has increased

MDH’s masala major is in a fiery mood. According to a report by The Indian Express, 31% of spice exports from Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) have been refused by US customs officers in the last six months because of salmonella infection.

 

Since October, the rejection rate has increased from 15% to 20% on an annual basis. This announcement almost immediately follows another issue that MDH has been experiencing. Due to the discovery of a carcinogenic pesticide in spice mixes, sales of select MDH and Everest Food Products were halted in both Singapore and Hong Kong.

According to the IE report, since October 2023, 11 shipments—roughly one-third of all shipments from MDH—have been denied. These cargoes included goods that were classified as “spices, flavors, and salts.” The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that the rejection rate was 15% from October 2022 to September 2023.

According to the statistics, every MDH export cargo that was turned down since October 2020 was due to salmonella infection.

Why is it risky to have salmonella?

People’s health is at danger due to salmonella contamination. If consumed, infected foods may cause a serious stomach illness that affects the digestive system if they are not cooked thoroughly.

The cause of salmonella infection is improper hygiene. You shouldn’t catch salmonella if you follow hygienic procedures all the way from harvesting to processing to packing, according to a food safety specialist.

US MDH facility inspection

The FDA had examined MDH’s manufacturing facility in xxx earlier in January 2022 (insert specifics of the plant here). The FDA found that the factory lacked “adequate sanitary facilities and accommodations” during the examination. Furthermore, it was discovered that the plant’s “utensils and equipment were not designed and constructed to be adequately cleaned or maintained to protect against contamination.”

0.3% of all Everest export shipments were refused during the current US federal fiscal year (October 2023 to September 2024). This is a sharp fall from the 3% rejection rate in the previous fiscal year. Five shipments in total have been denied since October 2023, mostly for labeling breaches.