The main reasons are pesticide residues above EU limits, Salmonella and other microbes, mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin, and, since 2020, ethylene oxide. Physical problems such as insects, mould and foreign matter come up too.
Most of these are preventable. They are caught before shipment when the right lot is tested at the right time against EU limits, not Indian ones.
The main reasons, in plain terms
- Pesticide residues: a compound above its EU MRL, often one not approved in the EU, which carries a very low limit.
- Salmonella: found in seed spices that have not been treated or have been handled poorly after cleaning.
- Ethylene oxide: the EU found ETO residues in sesame from India from 2020, which led to recalls and much tighter checks on Indian sesame and spices.
- Aflatoxin and ochratoxin: from mould growth during drying or damp storage.
- Insects, mould and foreign matter: often linked to storage, packing or long dwell times.
- Paperwork: missing or wrong health certificates or lab reports where the EU requires them.
Why the EU checks Indian spices closely
The EU can place products from a country on a list for more frequent border checks when problems recur. Indian spices and seeds have been on such lists at various times. The frequency and the products listed change, so check the current position with your national food authority or border control post.
You can see recent cases yourself. The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed publishes notifications. Our guide to the RASFF and how to check rejections for Indian products shows how to search it.
How to cut the risk
- Spec against current EU MRLs and test each lot with a wide multi-residue screen.
- Write "no ethylene oxide treatment" into the spec and test for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol. See ETO treatment and EU rejections.
- Ask for steam sterilisation where your customer needs low microbial counts, and test for Salmonella after treatment. See steam sterilisation.
- Test aflatoxin and ochratoxin on a properly drawn lot sample.
- Check moisture, insects and packing at loading.
- Keep sealed retained samples from every lot.
When a shipment is stopped
Act quickly. Ask the authority for the full result and the method, and ask whether a counter-analysis is possible. Compare the result with your pre-shipment report and retained sample. The contract should already say who bears the cost if the goods fail.
A rejection also affects your next shipments. Repeated findings can lead to more frequent checks on your consignments, so find the cause before you reorder from the same supplier.
How we help
We test each lot against EU limits at an NABL-accredited lab before loading, check steam sterilisation and packing at the plant, and help you work through the paperwork if a claim arises. To reduce rejection risk on your next shipment, ask for a free sourcing review.