Indian sesame came under extra EU checks because of repeated problems found at the border and in the market. Salmonella was a long-running concern. From 2020, EU authorities found ethylene oxide residues in sesame from India, which led to large recalls and stricter controls on Indian sesame.
The EU sets the level of checks by product and origin and reviews it regularly. Check the current position before you ship.
How the EU raises checks
The EU can place a product from a given country under a higher frequency of identity and physical checks at the border. It can also add special conditions, such as requiring an official certificate and lab results to travel with each consignment. These measures sit in an implementing regulation on temporary increased official controls, Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which is updated from time to time.
Products are added when RASFF notifications and official sampling show a pattern, and removed when the record improves. You can check the current list and frequency in the latest consolidated version of that regulation, or ask your customs broker.
The ethylene oxide episode
Ethylene oxide is a fumigant that had been used to cut microbe levels in sesame and spices. Its use on food is not permitted in the EU, and EU residue limits are set at the limit of quantification, so even traces fail. When residues were found in Indian sesame, products made with it, from bakery to snacks, were recalled across many countries.
The result was more testing, more certification and more caution from EU buyers. The topic is covered in depth in what ETO treatment is and why EU buyers reject it.
What it means for you now
- Expect more border sampling for Indian sesame than for some other origins while controls apply.
- Write "no ETO treatment" into your spec and test for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol.
- Require a full EU pesticide screen and Salmonella testing on each lot.
- Check whether an official certificate or lab report must travel with the shipment.
- Choose processors that use steam rather than chemical treatment for microbial control.
- Allow extra time for border checks in your planning.
Why buyers still source Indian sesame
India remains one of the major sesame producers and exporters, with a large hulled sesame industry in Gujarat. Many processors invested in mechanical drying, steam sterilisation and testing after the recalls. The task for you is to pick those processors and verify their claims. The testing detail is in what pesticide residues are tested in sesame for the EU.
How we help
We audit sesame processors for their treatment methods and testing, have every lot tested for ETO, residues and Salmonella at an NABL-accredited lab, and check the document pack before shipment. To source sesame for the EU with care, ask for a free sourcing review.