FDA Finds that 12 Percent of U.S. Imported Spices are Contaminated

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently revealed that as much as 12 percent of imported spices are contaminated with "filth," including insects, excrement, salmonella and hair over a three-year period.

The report from Wednesday said that from 2007 to 2010, spices were contaminated with "Salmonella, Bacillus spp. (including Bacillus cereus), Clostridium perfringens, Cronobacter spp., Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus...insects (live and dead whole insects and insect parts), excrement (animal, bird, and insect), hair (human, rodent, bat, cow, sheep, dog, cat and others), and other materials (decomposed parts, bird barbs, bird barbules, bird feathers, stones, twigs, staples, wood slivers, plastic, synthetic fibers, and rubber bands)."

The study looked at nearly 2,000 spice-related illness outbreaks that have been occurring around the globe since 1973. Many researchers believe that shipments from Mexico, Vietnam, India and Thailand may be to blame for some of the contaminants. For instance, in 2009 and 2010, black pepper and red pepper from India, Vietnam and China caused hundreds to become ill due to contaminants found in products.

Food Safety News notes that from 1973 to 2010, there were 14 spice-related outbreaks worldwide with a little less than 2,000 illnesses and 128 hospitalizations, according to the FDA.

The Associated Press reported that close to all of the spices consumed in the United States are imported. Unfortunately, this can create a health problem with the majority of spcies as some come from "very small farms where farm animals are used to plow, crops are harvested by hand, and spices are dried in open air" where there's "potential for animal, bird or human contamination."

"People's tendency to eat small amounts of spices with meals generally lowers the probability of illness from contaminated spices relative to similarly contaminated foods consumed in larger amounts," the FDA noted, via a press release. "It is also possible that illnesses caused by contaminated spices are underreported, particularly because of challenges related to attribution for minor ingredients in multi-ingredient foods."

At this time, the FDA is currently taking steps to strengthen the safety of imported spices via a training center that's focused on supply management for spices and botanical ingredients, via the Food Safety Modernization Act's (FSMA) rules.