The Association for Environmental and Consumer Protection (APEC) calls for vigilance regarding MDH PVT and Everest Food Product (Fish Curry powder) brand spices from India. In an open letter addressed to the Minister of Trade and Consumer Protection, Dorine Chukowry, the president of the Association, Suttyhudeo Tengur, calls for the removal of these products from the shelves in Mauritius.
According to Suttyhudeo Tengur, the Indian newspaper Times of India in its April 20 edition reports the request from the Singapore Food Agency for the products MDH PVT and Everest Food Product Pvt (Fish Curry powder) to be withdrawn from the markets. The reason is that these Indian products contain ethylene oxide, a pesticide that is unsafe for consumption. These Indian products, he said, are exported to more than 80 countries around the world, including Mauritius. “Thus, we are launching a strong appeal to the Minister of Commerce so that these products are quickly withdrawn from sale in shops, supermarkets and hypermarkets in Mauritius,” says the president. Furthermore, he indicates that tests are desirable.
The APEC president explains that ethylene oxide causes eye and respiratory irritation. Symptoms, he continues, can include headache, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and confusion. “Certainly, in Mauritius, there is no indication that this product consumed by the public has caused such symptoms, but the fact remains that precaution is important because it has been proven by a renowned international laboratory that this product poses a risk to human health. We hope that the minister, who is always quick to intervene in the interests of consumers, will act very quickly,” he maintains.
