Cancer gas sprayed on spice

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

A gas known to cause cancer in humans is being proposed by the Ministry of Health for permanent approval as a fumigating agent for spices.

Ethylene oxide is used to kill dangerous bacteria, such as the food-poisoning bug salmonella.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified the gas as a known human carcinogen in 1997. It was previously listed as probably carcinogenic.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said yesterday that ethylene oxide fumigation should be stopped, but not until suitable replacements were in use or "we would end up with a lot more irradiated food."

She also urged better hygiene at source to avoid the need for disinfection.

The ministry says processors may apply to disinfect food with radiation, but no permits have been granted.

Spices may contain a maximum residue up to 50 parts per million (ppm) of ethylene oxide under a temporary notice that expires in April. The ministry is proposing a permanent limit of 20 ppm, but the final decision rests with Health Minister Annette King.

The United States limit is 50 ppm, but in Europe the use of the gas on foods has been virtually banned because of fears of poisoning workers and consumers.

The ministry's chief adviser on safety and regulation, Dr Bob Boyd, said 20 ppm was a level that balanced the known risks of pathogens often found in spices against the "much lower theoretical risks" of treatments like ethylene oxide disinfection or irradiation.

A ministry discussion document, circulated for submissions by February 25, says the cancer risk from the gas is "extremely small."

The gas is volatile and dissipates rapidly from spices after disinfection. "After several months ethylene oxide levels become non-detectable in treated spices. Cooking ... further reduces the level."

Of 200 spices tested in New Zealand, only two samples were found to have more than 2 ppm. The highest was 15 ppm.

If a permanent residue limit is not set, spices will not be permitted to contain any trace of ethylene oxide after the expiry of the temporary notice.

Consumer Affairs Minister Phillida Bunkle said that since the tests had found extremely low levels of the gas in spices, "why not set the standard at extremely low levels?"

It was wiser to follow the stricter, European approach than the more lax American one, she said.

John Blankley, the sales manager of food ingredient suppliers H. J. Langdon, said that most herbs and spices on New Zealand supermarket shelves were sterilised, mainly with ethylene oxide.

Tests by his company always found herbs and spices treated with ethylene oxide to be within the residue limit.

"Ethylene oxide is not a particularly nice gas to handle, so if you did get any residual, your operators would soon let you know."