Ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing chemical found in India’s export-quality products, has been in the news recently, but it is not the only pollutant that has come under EU scrutiny. Various EU countries have put more than 400 Indian products at risk due to various other serious pollutants. These products contained substances ranging from lead, mercury and cadmium to pesticides and fungicides above prescribed levels. Only last month there were reports that ethylene oxide was found in 257 products in India. After analyzing an additional 500 products red flagged by the EU, it was found that between 2019 and 2024, more than 400 Indian products were declared unsafe by the EU and border rejection notices issued for 276 of them. were made
Lead, a toxic heavy metal, was found in 14 Indian products ranging from Ayurvedic supplements to turmeric powder. This can cause damage to a person’s brain, kidney and nervous system. While products like fish exported from India were found to contain high levels of mercury, which can harm M.’s nervous system, digestive system and immunity. Cadmium was found in 21 products such as octopus and squid. Cadmium can cause kidney and heart diseases.
59 prohibited carcinogenic products
At least 59 products were banned as being carcinogenic. The fungicide tricyclazole is banned in the European Union because it has carcinogenic and genotoxic properties and was found in 12 products including rice, herbs and spices. About 20 products were found to contain 2-chloroethanol, a byproduct of ethylene oxide. Whereas nitrofurans were found in 10 products. Banned mycotoxins were found in 10 products.
