UK National Monitoring Plan (NMP) sampling priorities for imported foods: 2026/2027
Updated 23 July 2026
Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales
1. National Monitoring Plan (NMP): Imported products of animal origin (POAO)
Sampling priorities from April 2026 to March 2027:
1.1 Bovine
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Bovine | Salmonella (screen for AMR where possible), E. coli (screen for AMR where possible), Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes | Minced meat and meat preparations intended to beÌýeaten rawÌý(for example, steak tartare). Minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked. Note if testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Bovine | Hormonal growth promoters (particularly trenbolone and zeranol) | Raw meats |
| High | Bovine | E. coli (screen for AMR where possible), STEC, salmonella | Fresh meats intended to be eaten cooked. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Medium | Bovine | Veterinary medicine residues: Anthelmintics including Benzimidazoles (Albendazole), Abamectin, Doramectin, Moxidectin and Ivermectin | Raw beef and bovine casings, cooked beef with country specific focuses on: Brazilian corned beef and Uruguyan bovine products (anthelmintics and pyrethroids). Note:Ìýcare should be taken when reporting these results to make clear the legislation or other basis for sampling. Bovine meat antimicrobials (including compounds with human safety risk like Tilmicosin), as well as NSAIDs such as diclofenac and meloxicam, and the inclusion of permethrin under the existing vet med panel. |
| Medium | Bovine | Organophosphorus compounds: Including ethion, chlorpyrifos and fipronil | Raw meats |
| Low | Bovine | Lead / Cadmium | Include offal (kidney and liver) |
| Low | Bovine | Dioxins/PCBs | Limits for bovine meat and liver |
| Low | Bovine | BaP (Benzo(a)pyrene), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) | Smoked meat and heat-treated meat products (for example, flame-grilled burgers). Raw meats are not susceptible to BaP contamination. |
1.2 Ovine
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Ovine | Veterinary medicine residues: Nitrofurans and Chloramphenicol | Sheep casings, from China in particular. Frozen lamb. |
| High | Ovine | Salmonella (screen for AMR where possible), E. coli (screen for AMR where possible), STEC | Ready-to-eat minced meat, meat preparations and meat products intended to be eaten raw. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Ovine | Salmonella (screen for AMR where possible), E. coli (screen for AMR where possible), STEC | Raw lamb; minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Medium | Ovine | Organophosphorus compounds: Including ethion, chlorpyrifos and fipronil | Raw meats |
| Low | Ovine | Veterinary medicine residues | Sheep meat and offal/liver anthelmintics (for example, closantel) and avermectins (for example, ivermectin, doramectin) |
| Low | Ovine | Lead / Cadmium | Meat and offal – maximum levels in place |
| Low | Ovine | Dioxins / PCBs | Limits for meat and liver |
| Low | Ovine | BaP (Benzo(a)pyrene), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) | Smoked meat (to note that ‘smoked skin on sheep’ products other than head and feet are prohibited). Raw meats are not susceptible to BaP contamination. |
1.3 Poultry
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Poultry | Salmonella (screen for AMR), E.Coli (screen for AMR traits including ESBL/AmpC and carbapenemase) |
RawÌýpoultry products. Presence of salmonella on samples should be determined using standard procedures. Salmonella isolated from presence in 25g should be tested for antimicrobial sensitivity by performing MICs against them for the following antibiotics, according to current EU protocols for methodology: Ampicillin (A), Chloramphenicol (C), Cefotaxime (CTX), Cefpodoxime (CPD), Ciprofloxacin (Cp), Colistin (COL), Gentamicin (G), Amikacin (AMK), Nalidixic Acid (Nx), Neomycin (Ne) and Tetracycline (T). Multi-drug resistance will be determined as isolates resistant (using appropriate breakpoints) to 3 or more antibiotic of separate classes. Presence of E. coli producing Carbapenemase/AmpC/ESBL in raw poultry. AmpC/ESBL phenotype E. coli to be isolated on MacConkey agar + 1 mg/L cefotaxime and carbapenem resistant E. coli to be isolated on two commercials chromogenic carbapenem agars according to current EU protocols. Viable counts for E. coli to be determined on MacConkey agar and MacConkey agar + 1 mg/L cefotaxime according to current EU protocols. CookedÌýpoultry and other ready-to-eat poultry products. Viable counts of E. coli on samples should be determined on MacConkey agar and MacConkey agar + 1 mg/L cefotaxime according to current EU protocols. However, viable counts should additionally be determined using a commercial ESBL agar. Isolates with an AmpC and or ESBL phenotype from MacConkey agar + 1 mg/L cefotaxime or the commercial ESBL agar should be verified as such if required using appropriate genetic (for example, PCR or WGS) or phenotypic (for example, appropriate MICs or sensitivities) methods. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. Please also report the results of all AMR tests (positive or negative) to microriskassessment@food.gov.uk. |
| High | Poultry | Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes | Cooked poultry from various countries, particularly from Brazil, Thailand, China, Ukraine. Including cooked breaded frozen poultry and other potentially ready-to-eat poultry products. |
| High | Poultry | Veterinary medicine residues: Coccidiostats andÌýantimicrobials (Nicarbazin, Lasalocid, Diclazuril) Nitrofurans andÌýChloramphenicol | Raw poultry (chicken, duck, turkey, guinea fowl, goose). Fresh and salted chicken. Salted/marinated chicken from Brazil & Thailand. Cooked poultry (chicken, duck) from Thailand and China. |
| High | Poultry | Salmonella, E. coli | Raw poultry, minced meat, meat products and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked, including salted/marinated chicken from Brazil, Thailand and Ukraine. |
| Low | Poultry | Lead / Cadmium | Meat and offal – maximum levels in place |
| Low | Poultry | Dioxins / PCBs | Chicken liver is very low risk |
1.4 Swine
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Swine | Veterinary medicine residues: Nitrofurans, chloramphenicol and other antimicrobials; and Beta-agonists (particularly ractopamine) | Hog casings, from China in particular. USA in particular but also other countries use ractopamine in pork production. Samples from Mexico for clenbuterol. |
| High | Swine | Salmonella (screen for AMR where possible), E. coli (screen for AMR where possible), Listeria monocytogenes | Ready-to-eat minced meat, meat products. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Swine | Salmonella (screen for AMR where possible), E. coli (screen for AMR where possible) | Raw meat to be cooked, minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Low | Swine | Lead / Cadmium | Meat and offal – maximum levels in place |
| Low | Swine |
BaP (Benzo(a)pyrene), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) |
Smoked pork meat products (sausage, bacon), also including cooked smoked sausage products. Raw meats are not susceptible to BaP contamination. |
| Low | Swine | Dioxins/PCBs | Lower limits apply than for beef and lamb, so there is a higher risk of non-compliance than other meats |
1.5 Bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Salmonella, E. coli, Vibrio | LiveÌýbivalve molluscs and live echinoderms, tunicates and gastropods. Include AMR of pathogens, in particular resistance to front-line clinically relevant drugs. Pathogenic vibrio such as Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, particularly in live bivalve shellfish. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Salmonella, Vibrio, Listeria monocytogenes | CookedÌýmolluscan shellfish. Include AMR for salmonella, in particular resistance to front-line clinically relevant drugs. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Medium | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Veterinary medicine residues | Test for nitrofurans in live bivalve molluscs |
| Medium | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Biotoxins – PSP, ASP, Lipophilic toxins including DSP | Live bivalve molluscs and live echinoderms, tunicates and gastropods. With PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) being potentially fatal, priority ranking could be increased to High priority for areas where PSP events are recurrent. |
| Medium | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Norovirus andÌýHepatitis A virus | Norovirus and hepatitis A virus may pose a risk, particularly in live bivalve shellfish (not intended to be cooked) such as oysters. Whilst the risk exists in imported shellfish, there are at present no agreed limits or legislation in place. Compliance with general food safety requirements would be the basis for any enforcement action. |
| Low | Bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates andÌýgastropods | Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, mercury (incl. methylmercury), BaP and PAH, Dioxins/PCBs | Live bivalve molluscs and live echinoderms, tunicates and gastropods. Bivalve shellfish are prone to PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) contamination. |
1.6 Fish products and crustaceans
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Salmonella, Vibrio, Listeria monocytogenes | CookedÌýcrustaceans. Include AMR of pathogens, in particular resistance to front-line clinically relevant drugs. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Listeria monocytogenes | Smoked fish (for example, salmon, haddock and kippers) or cured fish intended to be eaten as bought. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| High | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Veterinary medicine residues | Crustaceans: test for chloramphenicol, sulphonamides, nitrofurans and antimicrobials. Aquaculture/farmed products, particularly from Vietnam, India andÌýBangladesh, and to a lesser extent China: test for antimicrobials (including trimethoprim, macrolides), and dyes (for example, malachite green and crystal violet and their metabolites). Aquaculture from South Korea for antibiotics, with a focus on ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin. |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Cadmium | Checks should include molluscs, cephalopods and sardines. Crustaceans (white meat only) and muscle meat of fish would be low priority. |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Mercury (total mercury and methylmercury) | Mercury accumulates in all fish, particularly larger predatory oily fish. RASFF reports are common in imports from Asia and Indonesia, so priority should be considered for species from those areas. |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Histamine | In tuna, and other fishery products from fish species associated with a high amount of histidine |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Lead | Checks should include cephalopods. Maximum levels exist for muscle meat in fish, crustaceans (white meat only). |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Irradiation | In dried fish |
| Medium | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Inorganic arsenic (speciated) | Muscle meat of fish and crustaceans [footnote 1] |
| Low | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Aflatoxins | Smoked/dried fish powder from west African countries, for example, Bonga powder |
| Low | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus | Imitation crab claws from India. These are ready-to-cook (and not ready-to-eat). |
| Low | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Nematode parasites | Parasitic infestation in wild-caught fresh fish only |
| Low | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | BaP (Benzo(a)pyrene), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) | Dried/smoked fish and fishery products. Does not apply to fresh fish, crustaceans or cephalopods. |
| Low | Fish products andÌýcrustaceans | Dioxins / PCBs | Oily fish only. Fish liver – limits set at a level that would indicate a moderate rate of non-compliance but rarely consumed in UK. |
1.7 Eggs
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Eggs | Veterinary medicine residues | Test for antimicrobials and coccidiostats, including eggs from Albania |
| Medium | Eggs | Dioxins/ PCBs | Limits apply only to hen eggs and hen egg products. Free range/organic eggs in particular are known to accumulate dioxins. |
| Medium | Eggs | Salmonella | Ready-to-eat foods and egg products containing raw egg, excluding products where the manufacturing process or the composition of the product will eliminate the salmonella risk |
1.8 Milk and milk products
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Milk andÌýmilk products | Listeria monocytogenes, salmonella, E. coli and STEC | Cheeses, made from raw milk, or milk that may have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation |
| Medium | Milk andÌýmilk products | Salmonella, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae (as a marker for Cronobacter as per (AEUL) 2073/2005) | Dried infant formulae and dried dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants below six months of age. Dried follow-on formulae. |
| Medium | Milk andÌýmilk products | Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae | Milk powder and whey powder. Ice cream containing milk ingredients, excluding products where the manufacturing process or the composition of the product will eliminate the salmonella risk. |
| Medium | Milk andÌýmilk products | Veterinary medicine residues | Bovine milk antimicrobials (including compounds with human safety risk like Tilmicosin). Steroids, particularly from Colombia (including Oestradiol or Estradiol). NSAIDs such as Diclofenac and Meloxicam, and the inclusion of Permethrin under the existing vet med panel. |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Staphylococcal enterotoxins (to be carried out on samples with coagulase positive Staphylococci test results greater than 105 cfu/g) | Cheeses made from raw milk. Cheeses made from milk that has undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation. Ripened cheeses made from milk or whey that has undergone pasteurisation or a stronger heat treatment. Unripened soft cheeses (fresh cheeses) made from milk or whey that has undergone pasteurisation or a stronger heat treatment. |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Enterobacter sakazakii, now renamed Cronobacter spp, see assimilated EU law (AEUL) 2073/2005 | Dried infant formulae and dried dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants below six months of age |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Aflatoxin M1 | Raw milk, heat treated milk and milk for the manufacture of milk-based products. Infant formulae and follow-on formulae, including infant milk and follow-on milk. |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Lead / Cadmium | Milk and milk products, including infant formula and follow on formula |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Cereulide toxin | Infant formula, follow on formula, food for special medical purposes |
| Low | Milk andÌýmilk products | Glycidyl esters (GE), 3-MCPD esters | Infant formula and follow on formula. Note: there are no MLs for 3-MCPD esters for infant formula and follow-on formula in GB assimilated EU law (AEUL). |
1.9 Equine
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Equine | Veterinary medicine residues | Testing for Phenylbutazone (Bute), targeted to equines from Mexico and South America in general |
| Medium | Equine | Salmonella | Ready-to-eat minced meat, meat products and meat preparations intended to be eaten raw |
| Low | Equine | Salmonella | Minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked |
| Low | Equine | Lead / Cadmium | Include offal (kidney and liver) |
1.10 Animal fats and marine oils
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Animal fats and marine oils | Dioxins / PCBs | Animal fats and marine oils are included in Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 as amended, and UK assimilated legislation. Limits are as for the source animal except for mixed animal fat, which may be at higher risk of non-compliance because the limits are lower than those for beef / lamb / poultry fat. |
| Low | Animal fats and marine oils | Glycidyl esters (GE), 3-MCPD esters | Fish oils, marine oils. Note: GB assimilated EU law (AEUL) have GE MLs for fish oils, but not marine oils/animal fats; EU andÌýNI regulations extend to other marine organisms. There are no MLs for 3-MCPD esters for this group in GB AEUL, although there are in EU and NI regulations. |
1.11 (Processed) animal protein products
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | (Processed) Animal andÌýmarine protein products | Salmonella | Gelatine and collagen (Microbiological criterion 1.10 in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 specifically gelatine, and UK assimilated legislation). Supplements glucosamine/chondroitin if there are suspicions (subject to laboratory availability). |
| Low | (Processed) Animal andÌýmarine protein products | Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, arsenic, copper, zinc | Gelatine (and collagen) if there are suspicions (subject to laboratory availability) |
1.12 Honey
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Honey | Veterinary medicine residues: antimicrobials (including Chloramphenicol, Nitrofurans); antiparasitic agents (including Amitraz, Coumafos) | Country specific focuses for honey from: China, African countries, Madagascar (nitrofuran metabolite semicarbazide) and Albania. Results should be checked for compliance with pharmacologically active substance MRLs as set under Regulation (EC) 37/2010 as amended, and UK assimilated legislation. Care should be taken when reporting these results to make clear the legislation or other basis for sampling. Note: The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is responsible for the animal health aspects of imports of honey. Read our importing products of animal origin guidance. |
| Medium | Honey | Pesticide residues | Honey from China, and from African countries. Sampling for pesticides should be in line with EC Directive 2002/63, and UK assimilated legislation. Analysis should be in line with SANTE/12682/2019 or its replacement, and UK assimilated legislation. In Northern Ireland analysis should be by a NI or EU official laboratory. GB results should be checked for compliance with GB pesticide MRLs as set in the GB MRL statutory register. This is also the case for goods entering NI from GB via the NI Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS). Non-NIRMS goods in NI should be assessed for compliance with EU pesticide MRLs. Care should be taken when reporting these results to make clear the legislation or other basis for sampling. |
1.13 Pet food
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Pet food (including frozen) | Lead | Pet food made from game meat – maximum levels in place |
| High | Animal by- products to be used as animal feed | Salmonella | RawÌýfrozen feeder mice and rats intended to be used as animal feed. Raw frozen chicks from Ukraine. |
| High | Pet food (including frozen) | Salmonella, E. coli, STEC, Enterobacteriaceae, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter andÌýAnti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) where possible (Colistin resistance, Carbapenem-resistance, ESBL) | RawÌýpet food. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Medium | Pet food (including frozen) | Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae andÌýAnti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) where possible (Colistin resistance, Carbapenem-resistance, ESBL) | Cat andÌýdog food to be tested for pathogens, indicator bacteria and AMR. Dog chews, particularly from China, India and Türkiye. Mealworms from China. Note:Ìýif testing for AMR, please store relevant isolates on agar slopes and then test them all together at the end of the NMP period, or in two batches throughout the year. |
| Medium | Pet food (including frozen) | Veterinary medicine residues | Chicken or duck fillet |
2. National Monitoring Plan: Imported food not of animal origin (FNAO)
Sampling priorities from April 2026 to March 2027:
2.1 Nuts and seeds products
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific Sampling GuidanceÌý |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Nuts and seed products | E. coli, salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes | Potentially ready-to-eat commodities: tahini and halva from various countries, particularly from IsraelÌý |
| High | Nuts and seed products | E. coli, salmonellaÌý | Potentially ready-to-eat commodities: nut spreads, sesame seeds, cumin seeds |
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Nuts and seed products | ´¡´Ú±ô²¹³Ù´Ç³æ¾±²Ô²õÌý | Almonds (including ground/flour) particularly from Australia and USA Groundnuts (including spreads/flour) particularly from Türkiye Kuli kuli (peanut product) particularly from Ghana and Nigeria Suya mix (peanut powder) particularly from Nigeria. Brazil nuts Pistachios particularly from USA (also imported via Türkiye) Hazelnuts, walnuts, other tree nuts and mixed nuts, nut spreads and butters Melon seeds (egusi) particularly from Ghana (seed or ground) Chia seeds Ogbono (African melon seed). |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Nuts and seed products | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]Ìý | Cumin seeds (including ground/powder), particularly from Türkiye |
| Medium | Nuts and seed products | Cyanide (hydrocyanic acid) | Apricot kernelsÌýÌý |
| Low | Nuts and seed products | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]Ìý | Dried mung beansÌýÌý |
2.2 Herbs andÌýspices
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | HazardÌý | Specific Sampling Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Herbs and spices | Salmonella, Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes | Potentially ready-to-eat commodities: paan (betel) leaves, coriander leaves and other herbs (fresh or dried). Sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) (Food – crushed or ground) from China. |
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Herbs and spices | Salmonella, E. coliÌý | Potentially ready-to-eat commodities: pepper (black, pink and white), paprika powder, chilli powder, spice mixtures |
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Herbs and spices | ´¡´Ú±ô²¹³Ù´Ç³æ¾±²Ô²õÌý | Nutmeg (whole and ground), paprika powder, chilli powderÌý |
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Herbs and spices | Sudan dyes | Ground turmeric from Bangladesh, crushed pepper from China, paprika powder from Russia, spices and sumac from TürkiyeÌý |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Herbs and spices | Undeclared allergens, colours/dyes or sulphites | Spice mixtures, curry powder, garlic powderÌý |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Herbs and spices | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)Ìý | Cumin and oregano, from various countries, including Türkiye (EU/NI controlled since Dec 2021). GB does not have MLs at present, Compliance with general food safety requirements would be the basis for any enforcement action. |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Herbs and spices | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]Ìý | Dried spices: ground ginger, ground coriander, paprika powder, chilli powder. Fresh ginger, coriander roots and leaves. Dried herbs, particularly from India. Fresh herbs (including basil and mint), particularly from Cambodia. Gotukola from Sri Lanka. Vanilla from India, vanilla extract from USA |
| LowÌý | Herbs and spices | Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)Ìý | Ginger; oregano.ÌýÌýÌý |
2.3 Fruit andÌývegetables
| Priority Ranking | Product CategoryÌýÌý | HazardÌý | Specific Sampling GuidanceÌý |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌý | Fruit and vegetables | Salmonella, E. coli, Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes | Potentially ready-to-eat commodities: peppers (sweet or bell), salad leaves, prepared fresh vegetables; enoki mushrooms particularly from Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, fresh coconut. Sprouts: all bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, other sprouted seeds. Melons (including cantaloupe) particularly from Brazil and Mexico. Raisins (dried grapes) particularly from Türkiye dried dates.Ìý |
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌýÌý | Fruit and vegetables | ´¡´Ú±ô²¹³Ù´Ç³æ¾±²Ô²õÌý | Dried figs, chilli peppers (fresh or dried)ÌýÌý |
| Medium | Fruit and vegetables | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]ÌýÌý | Dried beans particularly from Ghana. Fresh beans, yardlong beans particularly from Sri Lanka. Okra; peppers (sweet or bell); spinach. Chilli peppers (peppers of genus Capsicum, other than sweet) from Rwanda, and Uganda (fresh or dried), particularly for clothianidin. Fresh sprouts (including from mung beans). Tomatoes from Türkiye; spring onions and carrots from Egypt. Aubergines/eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum) from Burkina Faso. Seem beans, helmet beans from Bangladesh. Dried bean flour from Nigeria. Vine fruits/raisins, pomegranates, mangoes (fresh or dried) particularly from Brazil. Apples and guava from India. Prepared fresh fruit, dried dates. Citrus fruit particularly from Egypt. Granadilla (Passiflora ligularis) and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), particularly from Colombia and Thailand. Sugar apples (Annona squamosa) from Egypt. Green papaya (Carica papaya) from Mexico. Pineapples from Ghana. Pears from China and Türkiye Strawberries from Egypt. Grapes (white, seedless) from Türkiye. Durian from Vietnam. Zara lemons (Citrus medica) from Bangladesh for pesticide residues Mango (Mangifera indica) (Food)  Ìýfrom Egypt for pesticide residues. Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) (Food – fresh and chilled) from India for pesticide residues Limes from Brazil for pesticide residues. Sichuan peppercorn from China- pesticides residues. Pickled lime from India- pesticide residues (ethylene oxide). |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Fruit and vegetables | Norovirus / Hepatitis A virusÌý | Frozen sweetcorn, frozen raspberries, other small fruit and berries |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾ÌýÌý | Fruit and vegetables | Ochratoxin AÌý | Vine fruits / raisins particularly from Uzbekistan; dried figs and mulberries particularly from Türkiye; soya beansÌý |
| LowÌý | Fruit and vegetables | CadmiumÌýÌý | Avocados and asparagus, particularly from PeruÌýÌý |
| Low | Fruit and vegetables | Undeclared sulphitesÌý | Dried apricots, dried dates, other dried or candied/mixed fruits. Coconut (desiccated, dried, flour)Ìý |
| LowÌýÌý | Fruit and vegetables | IodineÌýÌý | Seaweed and kelp (from China, Japan and Korea)Ìý |
2.4 Grain products
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific sampling guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Grain products | Aflatoxins | Banku mix (made from fermented corn flour) from Ghana |
| Medium | Grain products | Sudan dyes | Couscous from Lebanon; Fufu flour from Ghana |
| Medium | Grain products | Heavy metals, including inorganic arsenic | Rice from Vietnam and Thailand |
| Low | Grain products | Non-permitted colours | Fruit bars andÌýbreakfast cereals from USA |
2.5 Other FNAO products
| Priority Ranking | Product Category | Hazard | Specific Sampling GuidanceÌý |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±á¾±²µ³óÌýÌý | Edible oilsÌý | Sudan dyesÌý | Palm oil, particularly from Ivory Coast and NigeriaÌý |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Edible oils | 3-MPCD and PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)Ìý | Palm oil, other edible oilsÌý |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | TeaÌý | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]Ìý | Tea leaves (Camellia sinensis), especially from IndiaÌýÌý |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾Ìý | Food additivesÌýÌý | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]: ethylene oxideÌý | Xanthan gum from China. Guar gum/locust bean gum from India. Sauces; mixed condiments and seasonings; mustard flours and meals and prepared mustard from India. Calcium carbonate from India. Mixtures of food additives containing locust bean gum from Malaysia and Türkiye. |
| ²Ñ±ð»å¾±³Ü³¾ÌýÌý | ConfectioneryÌý | Non-permitted thickening / gelling additives: konjac (choking hazard) | Boba balls for bubble tea and Boba jellies from China and TaiwanÌý |
| LowÌý | ConfectioneryÌýÌýÌý | Non-permitted coloursÌý | From USA, China, Japan, Brazil and Colombia. Erythrosine in tapioca balls |
| Low | Soft drinksÌý | Non-permitted coloursÌý | Fizzy drinks: Fanta and Smoov Chapman from Ghana and NigeriaÌý |
| LowÌý | Soft drinksÌý | Non-permitted preservatives (benzoic acid) | Soft drinks from Nigeria, Ghana and USAÌýÌý |
| LowÌýÌýÌý | WineÌý | Undeclared sulphitesÌý | WineÌý |
| LowÌý | Food supplements | Pesticide residues [footnote 2]: ethylene oxideÌý | Various food supplements from IndiaÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý |
| Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
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the EU has set a maximum level for inorganic arsenic in fish and other seafood. Testing for inorganic arsenic Ìý↩
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Sampling for pesticides should be in line with EC Directive 2002/63, and UK assimilated legislation. Analysis should be in line with SANTE/12682/2019 or its replacement, and UK assimilated legislation. In Northern Ireland analysis should be by a NI or EU official laboratory. GB results should be checked for compliance with GB pesticide MRLs as set in the GB MRL statutory register. This is also the case for goods entering NI from GB via the NI Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS). Non-NIRMS goods in NI should be assessed for compliance with EU pesticide MRLs. Care should be taken when reporting these results to make clear the legislation or other basis for sampling.Ìý↩Ìý↩2Ìý↩3Ìý↩4Ìý↩5Ìý↩6Ìý↩7