The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed a draft risk profile on the pathogens and filth found in spices. A risk profile is a science-based document that describes the current state of knowledge in relation to a specific food safety issue, describes mitigation and control mechanisms currently available and identifies critical gaps in knowledge. This particular risk profile was in direct response to the recent outbreaks of illness due to the consumption of Salmonella-contaminated spices in the United States.

This risk profile identifies the most commonly occurring microbial hazards and filth in spices and quantifies, where possible, the ubiquity of these levels at varying points along the overall supply chain. It also identifies potential sources of adulteration and evaluates the efficacy of current mitigation and control options designed to reduce the public health risk posed by consumption of contaminated spices. Potential new mitigation and control options are described, based on the scientific data, information and analyses found within the report. The report concludes with a list of knowledge gaps and the research that would be required to fill those gaps. The FDA is currently seeking comments on this draft document. All comments can be submitted through the Federal Register.

The findings of this study suggest that the presence of pathogens, like Salmonella, and filth in spices is a systemic problem. Failures identified in the farm-to-table food safety system potentially leading to adulteration of consumed spice generally arose from poor and inconsistent application of appropriate preventive controls. The study identified 14 spice and seasoning-associated outbreaks worldwide that occurred between 1973 and 2010, which resulted in less than 2,000 reported illnesses and 128 hospitalizations worldwide.

This relatively trivial number of identified outbreaks may be the result of the application of preventive controls by the spice and food manufacturing industries, including pathogen reduction treatments, and cooking during food preparation. The tendency of most people to eat small amounts of spices with meals generally lowers the probability of illness from contaminated spices relative to similarily adulterated foods eaten in bigger amounts. 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.

The draft risk profile notes that the filth contaminants discovered in spices include insects, excrement, hair, bird feathers, stones, twigs, staples, wood slivers, plastic, synthetic fibers and rubber bands.

The FDA already has a number of regulatory standards and programs in place that help prevent contaminated spices from becoming available to consumers and these are described in the risk profile. In addition, the agency is taking steps to further strengthen spice safety. The FDA has increased inspections of spice manufacturing facilities and has begun to implement some of the options described in their risk profile.