Ordinary supermarket spices treated with ethylene oxide do not pose a poisoning danger to consumers, as food residues are minute and major health risks only concern chronic inhalation in professional settings.

noli's read

The creator correctly explains that while ethylene oxide is a Group 1 carcinogen (according to the IARC), its proven risks stem from inhalation exposure in industrial settings, not from food (EPA observational data). In reality, this gas is used as a fumigant to eliminate pathogenic bacteria that are much more dangerous in the short term, such as salmonella. Risk analyses (notably an exposure study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology) confirm that the presence of residues in spices is minute, with a lifetime health risk deemed negligible for consumers. Nevertheless, the regulatory approach differs: the European Union strictly prohibits its use on food products based on the precautionary principle, with ANSES considering that there is no completely safe exposure threshold for this substance. Even so, the creator's assertion holds up perfectly for daily consumption, as actual exposure remains insignificant.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.