A pungent smell emanating from a curry powder packet in a cargo hold triggered a fire alarm in a Frankfurt-bound Air India flight with 235 persons onboard, forcing it to return to Mumbai after being airborne for more than an hour, airlines spokesperson said on Saturday.

"The flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt returned at 2.35 am on Friday morning after take off. A passenger baggage containing a spicy curry powder emanated smell in the cargo hold, triggering an alarm in the cockpit. As a precaution, the flight returned," the spokesperson said.