I just had a meeting this morning with one of the largest spice importers/manufacturers in the US this morning. She explained to me a bit about how the spice industry works. First, most spices are sourced from third world countries. Second, the processing of herbs and spices at the source is not regulated by the USDA. The potential problems that can arise from the processing of herbs in some of these places is that unsanitary methods (according to US standards) can be used. For instance, peppercorns can be left to dry out in the open rather than being dried in more controlled situations. Leafy herbs can be cut with other leafy substances, etc. Of course, this is just second hand info here but it makes a lot of sense. And when I see massive recalls of meat products because they were contaminated with contaminated peppercorns, that's rather unsettling. Again, people will try to find an edge when it comes to selling you something. But more and more, traceability is becoming that edge that is tipping the scale for a lot of people.