Over the years, the culinary industry has been embroiled in a debatable state — the quality and authenticity of spices. And recently with a few countries banning the spices of leading Indian brands, there have been discussions among chefs, restaurateurs, and food enthusiasts worldwide, questioning the purity of spices in the global market.

As an F&B specialist & industry leader, Mr. Akshit Gupta, Chief of Strategy and Business Development at ARS Group shares a piece of his experience and knowledge.

The Roots of the Controversy

The core of the controversy lies in the rapid globalization of food production. While this has made exotic spices more accessible, it has also opened the door to adulteration, mislabeling, and quality issues. From turmeric to saffron, many high-value spices are a lot of times being mixed with cheaper substitutes or subjected to unethical processing practices. This, in turn, can affect not only the flavour and aroma of the spices but also their health benefits.

But having said that, brands across the country have been practising ethical means of manufacturing for ages. Read further for a fact check.

The Fact: Addressing the Controversy

• As per regulations, each country and regulatory body has its own rules to adhere to. As per reports, and FSSAI, India has the most stringent standards of Maximum Residue Limits (MRL), and, MRLs of allowed pesticides are fixed as per the food commodity based on their risk assessment.

• Alongside, different safety practices, there are various clean and technologically advanced ways of sterilization of spices as per the requirements of each country — for eg., fumigation (done with phosphine or low oxygen treatment), irradiation (done via exposure to X-rays or gamma rays), water steam (done by short contact of high pressure steam at about 102°C and 122°C) and so on. Keeping in mind which country the spices are being exported to, the spices companies sterilize the products with the approved method, thereby maintaining the quality standards for export.

• Labeling the products correctly with the right details is one of the ways to ensure transparency in the process and ingredients.

• Growth of organic farming leading to artisanal, small scale brands and producers. Those who use age-old, traditional spice production methods are making their way to the shopping baskets and gaining recognition for their commitment to quality.

The Path Forward

The spice controversy is far from resolved as of today, but the food industry is taking meaningful steps to address it. As an F&B strategist, I encourage businesses to prioritize transparency and authenticity.