Spice import requirements by country: the spec checker.
Choose a spice and a country. See what the border checks, the limit it sets and the documents your shipment needs.
Chillies to the EU
- The risk at the border
- Ethylene oxide and mycotoxins
20% of Indian chilli consignments are checked for ethylene oxide at the EU border.
| Check | Border limit |
|---|---|
| Ethylene oxide | ≤0.1 mg/kg, counted with 2-chloroethanol |
| Aflatoxin | B1 ≤5, total ≤10 µg/kg |
| Ochratoxin A | ≤20 µg/kg |
Every lot is tested before packing at a third-party lab accredited by NABL to ISO/IEC 17025. The result is on the certificate of analysis that travels with the lot.
Rules on arrival. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, as amended by 2026/194 and 2026/1206, sets increased official controls on listed Indian spices. Listed consignments are pre-notified on a CHED-D in TRACES NT.
Organic scheme. Lots sold as organic need certification under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 through a recognised control body.
11 documents travel with this container
On every shipment
- Phytosanitary certificate
- Certificate of origin
- Certificate of analysis, per lot
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Bill of lading
- FSSAI licence
- Importer Exporter Code (IEC)
Added for chillies
- Aflatoxin test certificate
- Sudan dye I to IV test certificate
Added for the EU
- Official certificate and lab results where the spice is listed
- TRACES NT entry, filed by your side
Limits shown are the destination's own where it sets one, otherwise the Codex reference. Your contract names the exact limit tested against. Sources: EU 2023/915, EU 2015/868, EU 2019/1793 as amended by 2026/194 and 2026/1206, GSO 382:2021, SENASICA, AFSA Decision No. 41 (2023), GB 1881/2006, 40 CFR 180.151, FDA CPG 555.400, FDA Import Alerts 28-02 and 99-19, MHLW Positive List, Malaysia Food Regulations, Codex CXS 193 and CXS 326. We compiled the limits and rules from these sources. Rules last updated .
We test each lot against the limit in the buyer's national standard, and that limit goes into the contract before we pack.
Aflatoxin for chilli and cardamom, ethylene oxide for cumin and seed spices, lead for turmeric and ginger, Salmonella for pepper. The result for each lot goes on its CoA.