The Center for Food Safety (Center) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department informed our company on October 5, 2023 that samples of prepackaged white pepper powder imported from India were found to contain the pesticide ethylene oxide, exceeding the legal limit.
Ethylene oxide is a bactericide that can kill bacteria (and their endospores), molds and fungi, so it can be used to disinfect some items that cannot withstand high temperature sterilization. American chemist Lloyd Hall patented the ethylene oxide sterilization method for preserving spices in 1938, and this method is still used today. Ethylene oxide is also widely used to sterilize medical supplies such as bandages, sutures and surgical instruments.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer currently classifies ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen. According to the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Chapter 132CM), if food contains pesticide residues of pesticides listed in Schedule 1, the concentration of pesticide residues in the food shall not exceed that specified in the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulations (Chapter 132CM). The Pesticide Residues Regulation sets out the maximum residue limit relative to the residue definition of the pesticide specified in the food.
According to EU regulations, the ethylene oxide residue standard is the "maximal residue level; MRL" of 0.1 mg/kg (ppm), and according to the standards of the United States and Canada, the maximum residue limit for spices and herbs is 0.7 mg/kg, which means that if a person eats this dose, the food will not cause health problems even if he eats it for a lifetime. According to our understanding, the pesticide found in this product exceeds the allowable limit.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Organic white pepper powder
Brand: Passion by Mama
Country of Origin: India
Net weight: 55 grams per bottle
Shelf life: September 29, 2023
In accordance with the instructions of the Center, we are currently suspending sales and removing the affected batches of products from shelves. We will also take the initiative to recycle the involved products that have been purchased. Customers can call the hotline 35651770 / 95555280 during office hours to inquire about product recall matters.
If you have purchased the affected products, please stop using them.
If customers have any inquiries or questions about other product matters, please call us during office hours.
Healthy Express
October 6, 2023
References:
- Center for Food Safety (CFS) - Industry Consultation Forum on Ethylene Oxide in Food 2022-12-23
- Center for Food Safety (CFS) - Hong Kong Maximum Pesticide Residue MRL Database
- Wikipedia - Ethylene oxide
- Center for Food Safety (CFS) - Press Release on Passion by Mama White Pepper Powder
- Food incidents related to ethylene oxide risks
Although ethylene oxide is a level 1 carcinogen, if consumers have ever used white pepper, since it is generally added to food as a flavoring and accompaniment, when converted into the final food, the ethylene oxide may only be diluted by a few degrees. A hundred times, or even a thousand times. In the end, the chemical residue may be only 0.003 mg/kg, which is three parts per billion. With such a dose approaching zero, the chance of harming our human body is extremely small.
Note 1: IARC divides carcinogens into four levels, namely Level 1, Level 2 (subdivided into Level 2A and 2B), Level 3 and Level 4 carcinogens, among which Level 1 represents confirmed human carcinogens.
