India has asserted that it has one of the most stringent norms for pesticide residues in food items and dismissed the reports that the country’s food regulator permits higher pesticide residues limits in herbs and spices. The Union Health Ministry has clarified that maximum residue limits are different for various food products based on risk assessment. It added that media reports claiming that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India allows ten times more pesticide residue in herbs and spices are false and malicious. The Ministry’s comments came amid reported action by the Hong Kong food regulator and Singapore food regulator on some products of two leading Indian brands over alleged presence of pesticide Ethylene Oxide in their samples.