42 Handbook of herbs and spices
the UK, Germany and the Netherlands have laid down their own cleanliness
specifications for spices. In addition to the cleanliness specification, importing countries
insist on meeting specified limits for chemical parameters like pesticide residues,
aflatoxin, heavy metals as well as microbial contamination. While the USA, Japan
and the individual member countries of the EU have prescribed MRLs (maximum
residue limits) in spices, the European Union has not prescribed specific limits for
pesticide residues in spices and spice products.
For any exporting country in this international business, there has to be an overall
strategy to cope with such demanding quality standards. The strategy has to be
comprehensive, with sufficient attention given to such factors as insulation from
commodity price fluctuations, improvements in productivity, reduction in costs of
production, investment in state-of-the-art processing facilities, control of chemical
residues by means of corporate/contract farming, and diversifying and expanding
products into value-added areas. Despite the rising quality standards of importing
countries, developing countries like China and Vietnam have exhibited exponential
growth in their spice exports. Traditional spice exporters like Indonesia and Mexico
have also shown positive growth rates in the past few years. The challenge ahead is
in exploring the potential of value-added spice products like retail packs, seasoning
blends, marinades, dressings, relishes, dips, dehydrates, etc., in addition to exploring
new developments in natural colours and flavours, nutraceutical and other new
applications.
Before finding their way to the product shelf in the market, new applications need
to go through the hurdle of regulatory approval. This is tough indeed, more so
because the laws and regulations of importing countries are varied. The United
States, the largest consumer of nutraceutical food and beverages, has been evolving
regulatory strategies to counter false claims, at the same time minimising the
infrastructural delays. The FDA regulates food products depending on how they are
classified. There are two categories under the FDA directive: conventional foods that
are consumed for aroma, taste and nutrition, and the dietary supplements which are
consumed for health benefits. The FDA does not have a regulatory category for
functional foods, so these foods have to be marketed as either of the above. Further,
the FDA has categorised new products into two groups: having qualified or unqualified
health claims. The qualified new products should have more studies supporting the
health claim, which are not likely to be reversed by future studies. Examples being
folate, folic acid, omega 3 fatty acids, phosphatidylserine, antioxidant vitamins, etc.
The unqualified products are those that have potential health benefits based on significant
scientific agreement (e.g. calcium for osteoporosis, dietary fat and cancer, fibre-
containing vegetable and cancer, plant sterols – plant stanol and heart disease). The
labelling should ensure that the classified claims are depicted correctly.
2.2 The regulation of pesticide residues
Pesticides are a group of chemicals designed to control weeds, diseases, insects or
other pests on crops, landscape plants or animals. The most commonly used pesticides
are insecticides (for controlling insects), fungicides (for controlling fungi) and herbicides
(to control weeds). Prudent use of pesticides has played a vital role in feeding the
world’s growing population by dramatically increasing crop yields. However, their
safety and effects on the environment have been a serious concern. National regulations