American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)
The American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) was established at the beginning of the twentieth century. Given its long involvement in regulating the quality of herbs and spices entering the USA, ASTA standards are recognised and endorsed by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USDA).
Cleanliness specifications exist for all major herbs and spices, in terms of permitted amounts of extraneous matter or filth, mould (visible), insects, excreta and insect damaged material. The amount of contamination is measured by microscopic analysis (. 30) of aliquots of the material. For the purposes of these specifications, extraneous matter is defined as everything foreign to the product itself, including, but not restricted to: stones, dirt, wire, string, stems, sticks, non-toxic foreign seeds, (in some cases) other plant material such as foreign leaves, excreta, manure and animal contamination. The level of contaminants permitted under these specifications must fall below some limits. These specifications provide a general standard of cleanliness. Herbs and spices not meeting this standard must be re-cleaned/re-conditioned before distribution and sale within the United States is allowed.
The ASTA also sets a range of other standards. These are broadly comparable to those set by the European Spice Association (ESA), which are discussed in the next section. Microbiological standards in particular now play an increasingly important role in determining the quality of herbs and spices. They are becoming a crucial quality parameter due to the increasingly varied uses of herbs and spices in the developed world. Increased travel has led to a society demanding multicultural foods. This coupled with ready meals, cook-chill products, etc., has meant that herbs and spices are not ‘always cooked’ as was assumed in the past. But the third world origin of many herbs and spices plus the concentration due to drying means these products can pose a potential microbiological risk. Total counts in excess are common and food pathogens such as Salmonella are estimated to be present in approximately 10% of consignments imported. There are currently three major methods of control.
- Principally within the United States, microbiological control is exercised by fumigation with ethylene oxide, a bactericidal gas. Sometimes multi-fumigations are used to achieve a satisfactory microbiological reduction.
- Irradiation is permitted for microbiological control of herbs and spices in many countries of the world. However, the use of the process must be declared on the packaging presented to the consumer and consumer concern about its use in foods have prevented the use of this undeniably efficient process in many areas where its use is permitted by law.
- In recent years concern about residues left by ethylene oxide has led to bans on its use (within the EU for example). This has led to the use of heat treatment for decontamination, generally using high pressure steamin highly specialised equipment.
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