Picture for illustrative purposes only.

The Dubai Municipality said it is investigating claims that some Indian spice brands contained a harmful substance that is completely banned in the UAE. This came after food safety authorities in Singapore and Hong Kong banned four spice products from popular Indian brands MDH and Everest after finding that they contained traces of ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing chemical. According to Dubai Municipality, it is investigating reports on the matter and that so far, tests have not revealed any cause for concern. “The regular, routine testing that we perform on all food items in the country did not reveal anything that should be a cause of concern,” the Dubai Municipality said in a statement. “However, we are fully aware of the global notification and recalls and routine protocols will be followed.” “We perform risk assessment and laboratory testing among other steps before we take decisions. Any concern will be addressed to ensure that public health is protected,” the municipality added. Meanwhile, the Indian government has ordered compulsory testing for ethylene oxide in all spice exports bound for Singapore and Hong Kong following the recent bans. Stringent monitoring for traces of ethylene oxide will also be extended to spice shipments to other destinations, media reports cited officials as saying. ICA/Expat Media
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