Other Spices | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

"Other spices" is a collective label-declaration term covering any dried aromatic vegetable substances — in whole, broken, or ground form — used primarily for seasoning rather than nutritional purposes. The term appears on ingredient lists when a manufacturer uses one or more spices that do not individually require separate disclosure under applicable labeling rules.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Culinary spices used at typical seasoning levels are broadly recognized as safe for the general adult population and carry no established ADI. The principal documented safety concern is microbiological contamination: FDA found imported spice shipments had a Salmonella prevalence roughly twice that of other imported FDA-regulated foods. Some individual spices within this category may trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, but no IARC carcinogenicity classification applies to the category as a whole.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Spices are permitted as food ingredients under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. They may be declared collectively as 'spices' or 'herbs and spices' on labels. Individual allergen-containing spices (e.g., celery) must be declared per Standard 1.2.3.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Herbs and spices used for seasoning are regulated as foods, not food additives, under EU food law. They are not assigned E-numbers and do not require pre-market EFSA safety authorization when used at traditional seasoning levels. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 governs food additives separately. Individual spice-derived extracts used as flavourings may fall under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Spices and condiments are regulated under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. FSSAI sets standards for individual spices (e.g., turmeric, cumin, coriander) relating to moisture, volatile oil content, and microbiological limits. Collective declaration as 'spices' is permitted on labels for mixtures.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Spices are listed as GRAS under 21 CFR Part 182. They may be declared collectively as 'spices' on ingredient labels per 21 CFR 101.22(h)(1) without individually naming each spice, with the exception of onion, garlic, and celery which must be named when used as a flavoring. FDA FSMA preventive-controls rules require spice manufacturers to conduct hazard analyses for pathogens such as Salmonella.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — Strong spices can irritate the immature gastrointestinal tract of infants; many infant-food standards (e.g., EU Regulation 609/2013, FSSAI infant-food regulations) prohibit or restrict the addition of spices to foods formulated for children under 12 months.

Ibs — Certain spices (e.g., chilli, pepper) are known to exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome by stimulating gut motility and mucosal irritation.

Ibd — Strong or hot spices may worsen mucosal inflammation during active flares of inflammatory bowel disease; clinical dietary guidance commonly recommends limiting pungent spices during symptomatic periods.

Other — Individuals on anticoagulant therapy (e.g., warfarin) should consult a doctor, as some spices such as turmeric, clove, and cinnamon have documented antiplatelet or coumarin-like activity that may interact with medication at high dietary intakes.

Shellfish Allergy — Some spice blends may contain undeclared allergens or cross-reactive compounds; individuals with known food allergies should verify label declarations, as collective 'other spices' labeling may obscure individual allergen-containing spices.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Food Additives and GRAS Ingredients – Information for Consumers. fda.gov
2EFSA. Food Additives – EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF). efsa.europa.eu
3FDA. Questions & Answers on Improving the Safety of Spices, 2018. fda.gov
4FDA. Risk Profile: Pathogens and Filth in Spices, 2018. fda.gov

Independently researched4 citations