The Hindu Business Line : UK rejects 2 chilli shipments

The Spices Board has initiated action on a notification from the European Union for the presence of aflatoxin above permissible limits in two consignments sent to the UK.

According to European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), three consignments of chilli powder were rejected on July 5 and one each on July 13 and 31 for presence of aflatoxin above permissible limits, while a consignment of sugar-coated fennel seeds was also rejected on July 18 for presence of erythrosine.

The board has, so far, received communication about the presence of aflatoxin in two consignments, Mr S. Kannan, Director Marketing, told Business Line on Wednesday. However, he said: "We cannot take any stringent action as it is a subjective matter".

Permissible limits

Mr Kannan said the board was analysing the counter sample at entry of the consignment. Samples were drawn from the consignments for testing before shipping, which is done only after getting the clearance certificate from the board's laboratory. In this case, what has happened in between needed to be analysed, he said.

As far as presence of aflatoxin is concerned, it is allowed up to 30 particles per billion (ppb) in India. Even in the US, the permissible limit is up to 20 ppb. However, in the UK and Germany, the limits are 5 ppb and 2 ppb, respectively. The presence of aflatoxin in the consignments reportedly was at 6.5 ppb levels.

According to Mr Kannan, in France and the US it is tested for total aflatoxin, whereas in the UK it is tested for B1, B2 and then total aflatoxin. The consignments could be reprocessed to minimise the levels and sent back, he said.

Since November 2003, the board had introduced mandatory sampling and analysis for Sudan 1 and aflatoxin in chilli and chilli products irrespective of destination of export.

Export consignments

Prior to this date, individual exporters used to draw samples from export consignments for analysis in their own laboratories, other private laboratories or the board's quality evaluation laboratory to assess the presence of aflatoxin.

The Spices Board has advised all the exporters who are registered with it to get the samples for testing and shipments are made only after obtaining the necessary certificate from the board.

He said that the board had set up the laboratory with modern equipment where the samples could be checked and certificates issued in 24 hours.

Aflatoxins are a group of naturally occurring compounds called mycotoxins, produced by certain moulds growing on some food crops during production and storage. Mycotoxins are found in a wide range of foods around the world. They occur mainly in commodities imported from the tropics and sub-tropics, in particular groundnuts (peanuts), edible nuts, dried figs, spices and maize, and similar products.

The UK Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has, since 1981, recommended that aflatoxin levels in food should be reduced to the lowest levels technologically practicable. The legal limit for aflatoxin B1 in cereals, including rice, is 2 micrograms per kg or 2 parts per billion.

More Stories on : Spices & Condiments | Standards & Benchmarks

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Nabard aid for model livestock village in Kerala

STC floats tender to buy 16.7 lakh tonnes wheat

Spot rubber falls on global trend

TN to draw up new molasses policy

18-week low offer at Coonoor tea auctions

`Cotton prices up on export contracts'

`Coir Utsav' begins in Kochi

Poultry sector to get maize at Rs 450/quintal

Costlier desi variety

Pepper futures down on selling pressure

UK rejects 2 chilli shipments

Topping Rs 100/kg

Average size of land holding declines in AP