The US customs authorities rejected 31% of all spice-related shipments exported by Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) Pvt Ltd over salmonella contamination in the last six months, The Indian Express has reported.

The refusal rate since October 2023 has doubled from 15% for all shipments sent in the year prior. All MDH export shipments refused since October 2020 were on the grounds of salmonella contamination, the data showed, according to the report.

When consumed, foods contaminated with the bacteria salmonella can cause a severe stomach infection that affects the intestinal tract if not cooked properly.

The surge in rejection rate over salmonella contamination comes at a time when both Singapore and Hong Kong suspended sales of certain items of MDH and Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd over alleged carcinogenic pesticide detection in spice mixes.

“The FDA is aware of the reports and is gathering additional information about the situation,” a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.

The Spices Board, the industry regulator in India, started inspecting the facilities of spice makers MDH and Everest for compliance with quality standards after the reports of cancer-causing pesticides in their certain products surfaced. The board on Wednesday said it had sought data on MDH and Everest exports from relevant authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore and was working with the companies to find the root cause of the issue.