Campaign launched to check aflatoxin in spices

The Spices Board has launched a campaign to educate farmers, traders and exporters about aflatoxin, a naturally occurring toxin, that degrades spices exported from India. This follows rapid alerts issued by the European Union against aflatoxin in nutmeg and mace exported from the country.

“Nutmeg and mace are important spices that find wide application in food industry and medicine, and hence the paramount importance in monitoring their quality,” the board said. Countries from the EU and West Asia, and South Africa and Japan have been importing large quantities of these products in the raw form and as value-added spice oils and oleoresins.

To address this major issue, the board is launching a nationwide publicity campaign to create awareness on the need to get rid of the toxin.

Exporters, scientists from the Indian Institute of Spices Research and Kerala Agricultural University, the board, and educated farmers will address the campaign meetings. The meetings will focus on the major nutmeg- and mace-growing regions of Kerala, Konkan coast and Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Cause

Poor primary processes followed by the farmers result in the presence of aflatoxin in nutmeg. As the crop is often harvested during monsoon, drying in the sun is usually not feasible, and farmers adopt other traditional methods to dry the harvested nutmeg.

Due to inadequate drying and storage practices of farmers, the crop becomes susceptible to fungal attacks. Farmers need to dry the produce well to avoid growth of fungi and mould in nutmeg, the board pointed out. Though aflatoxin contamination does not hamper productivity, it makes the produce unfit for consumption.

Due to stringent standards on the permissible limits of aflatoxin by importing countries, Indian produce becomes less acceptable in global markets.

The European Spice Association, comprising of members of the EU, has prescribed limits for aflatoxin at 5 parts per billion for B-1 grade and 10 parts per billion for the toxin in general. Member countries can fix their own limits.

B-1 grade aflatoxin is considered the most virulent cancer-causing agent. Aflatoxins are a group of secondary metabolites of the fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillusparasticus , and are rated as ‘potent carcinogens'. Nutmeg and mace exports from the country have been on a rapid upward spiral growing to Rs 91.86 crore in 2009-10 from Rs 31.17 crore in 2005-06.

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