The best-known case is from 2007, when EU authorities found pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dioxins in guar gum from India. The EU then imposed special import conditions on Indian guar gum for a period, including testing of consignments. Later, the ethylene oxide (ETO) crisis that began in 2020 led EU buyers to test food additives, including thickening gums, for ETO residues.
Both episodes are a reminder that a natural, plant-based ingredient can still carry chemical risks. Testing is the only way to know.
The 2007 PCP and dioxin case
Pentachlorophenol is a pesticide and wood preservative. Dioxins are toxic contaminants, and PCP can contain them. In 2007, EU checks found high levels of both in some guar gum from India. The European Commission introduced special conditions that required guar gum from India to be accompanied by test results and to be checked at import.
Those rules were relaxed and changed over time. Check with your food authority or border control post whether any special conditions apply to guar gum from India today. Do not assume the position is the same as it was.
Ethylene oxide
ETO is a fumigant that was used on some spices and seeds to reduce microbes. Its use on food is not permitted in the EU, and limits are set at the limit of quantification, so traces can fail. From 2020 the EU found ETO in sesame seeds from India, and the issue spread to other products, including food additives such as locust bean gum.
Because of this, buyers of guar gum now commonly require written confirmation that no ETO treatment is used and test for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol. See what ETO treatment is, and why EU buyers reject it.
Pesticide residues
Guar is a field crop, so pesticide residues are possible. Limits differ by market and are set for each pesticide, such as EU MRLs. Ask for a multi-residue screen from an accredited lab against the limits of your market. Requirements change, so check the current limits with your authority. The approach for another rain-fed crop is in what pesticide residue limits apply to Indian pulses.
What to put in your contract
- No ETO treatment at any stage, confirmed in writing.
- Testing for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol, PCP, dioxins where relevant, pesticides and heavy metals.
- Testing by an accredited lab, with original reports.
- Sampling from the actual lot being shipped.
- A clear rejection and claim process if a lot fails at import.
Where risk comes from
- Treated wooden pallets or storage materials that contain preservatives.
- Fumigation of warehouses or seed with unsuitable chemicals.
- Mixed lots bought from traders with unknown history.
- Contaminated processing aids or water.
How we help
We audit the plant's treatment and storage practices, draw samples from your lot and have them tested at an NABL-accredited lab for ETO, pesticides and the contaminants your market checks. Ask for a free sourcing review.