Chilli is the main earner in the Indian spices export basket. In 2003,, incidents of adulteration of chilli powder (using carcinogenic dyes) by some unscrupulous and careless exporters led to large-scale product recalls in the UK and tainted the image of the Indian spice export industry. This resulted in a complete shake up of the sector with serious consequences, leading to the introduction of mandatory and expensive testing, certification, stringent safely regulations, food recall and threats by EU of banning imports from India. This case focuses on the events that led to this as well as the status of food safety regulation in our country. The role of the Spices Board of India (SBI) has been instrumental in protecting the brand image of Indian spice exports. The case revolves around SBI, the choices it had and the possible implications for damage control and prevention.