TRIVANDRUM, 2 March 2005 — All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) has criticized newspaper reports blaming Indian chili for the cancer scare in the UK and termed them as misleading. The Spices Board of India had strengthened its quality inspection wing after reports said chili powder imported from India was contaminated with banned carcinogenic colorant sudan-1 red dye.

The newspaper reports came in the wake of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK issuing a warning against the consumption of sudan-1 contaminated foodstuff.

Sources said the Cochin-headquartered Spices Board had already suspended the licenses of three Bombay-based firms.

FSA had identified more than 350 contaminated items across the country. The banned material was traced to one or two particular consignments that were apparently imported before the alert was put in place in 2003, an AISEF statement said.

“From August 2003, we have taken stringent measures to ensure quality,” it said.

The Spices Board lab in Cochin is using the most modern LC/MS equipment.

“We have one of the best labs in the world. Before the consignments are packed, a sample is sent to the lab. Strict guidelines are there for collecting samples. After a three-tier testing a certificate is issued to the concerned firm. Without these certificates nobody can send a single consignment,” a board spokesman said. India, the world leader in chili exports, earns around 3.8 billion rupees every year in foreign exchange from this trade.