The Kalimirch Vyapari Association (KVA) has complained to the Food Safety Authority about the unprecedented delay of over five months in testing black pepper sealed in NCDEX authorised warehouses by the authority on suspection of adulteration with mineral oil. In a written communication to the commissioner of FSA, Kerala, KVA has alleged that since 2012, FSA has been going very slow in testing of about 6800 tonnes of black pepper valued at over Rs 300 crores. FSA has appointed Spices Board to test the pepper allegedly contaminated with mineral which is unfit for human consumption.
Spices Board has already submitted the results of testing done for about 1000 tonnes of black pepper so far, but FSA is yet to announce the results.