Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are toxins made by certain plants. The EU sets maximum levels for them in point 2.4 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/915.
284 notifications since 1 January 2020 named pyrrolizidine alkaloids, under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 34 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 69 in the 365 days before, down 51%. 25% were border rejections and 67% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Türkiye (116), Poland (29) and India (24). The product categories named most often were herbs and spices (221), cocoa, coffee and tea (36) and other and mixed food products (10). The products named most often were cumin (93), oregano (82) and herbal infusions (14).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Contaminants, European Commission; Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on contaminants, consolidated text of 19 August 2026, Annex I.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named pyrrolizidine alkaloids
The newest 25 of 284, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Alert notified by Germany: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbs or spices from Germany, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9224, validated 16 October 2026.
- Border rejection notified by France: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cumin from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8546, validated 25 September 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Poland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in black tea from Sri Lanka, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8433, validated 23 September 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Croatia: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbs or spices from Croatia, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8211, validated 16 September 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Poland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in dried herbs from Poland, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8149, validated 15 September 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in spice mixes from Germany, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8124, validated 14 September 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Ireland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in oregano from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.7824, validated 4 September 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Belgium: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cumin from Pakistan, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.7430, validated 21 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in parsley from Poland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7206, validated 13 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in food supplements from the United Kingdom, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6996, validated 6 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a food supplement from the United Kingdom, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6864, validated 31 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Latvia: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in black tea from Russia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6609, validated 24 July 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Bulgaria: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cumin from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5896, validated 3 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Poland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a mixed food product from Poland, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.5067, validated 9 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Poland: pesticide residues and pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a mixed food product from Poland, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.4081, validated 8 May 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Croatia: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in green tea from China, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.3393, validated 21 April 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Bulgaria: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a mixed food product from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.3356, validated 20 April 2026.
- Information for attention notified by France: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in oregano from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.3219, validated 15 April 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Ireland: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cumin of unknown origin, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.1339, validated 17 February 2026.
- Alert notified by Czechia: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal infusions from Slovakia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.1337, validated 17 February 2026.
- Alert notified by Hungary: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in oregano from Greece, risk decision serious, reference 2026.1178, validated 12 February 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Norway: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in oregano from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0987, validated 5 February 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in tea from India, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0948, validated 4 February 2026.
- Alert notified by Belgium: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cocoa, coffee or tea from Morocco, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.0738, validated 29 January 2026.
- Alert notified by Austria: pyrrolizidine alkaloids in cumin from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0366, validated 23 January 2026.
Other natural plant and marine toxins: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), histamine, hydrocyanic acid.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2023 | 59 |
| 2024 | 75 |
| 2025 | 65 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 25 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 70 | 25% |
| Alert | 122 | 43% |
| Information for follow up | 39 | 14% |
| Information for attention | 53 | 19% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 189 | 67% |
| Potentially serious | 50 | 18% |
| Potential risk | 19 | 7% |
| Not serious | 17 | 6% |
| Undecided | 9 | 3% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Cumin | 93 |
| Oregano | 82 |
| Herbal infusions | 14 |
| Tea | 11 |
| Black tea | 7 |
| Dried herbs | 7 |
| Food supplements | 5 |
| Nigella seeds | 3 |
| Parsley | 3 |
| Sage | 3 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Türkiye | 116 | 41% |
| Poland | 29 | 10% |
| India | 24 | 8% |
| Spain | 16 | 6% |
| Germany | 13 | 5% |
| Greece | 12 | 4% |
| Egypt | 11 | 4% |
| France | 11 | 4% |
| Origin not given | 10 | 4% |
| Italy | 7 | 2% |
| Belgium | 6 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 5 | 2% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Herbs and spices | 221 | 78% |
| Cocoa, coffee and tea | 36 | 13% |
| Other and mixed food products | 10 | 4% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 9 | 3% |
| Nuts, nut products and seeds | 4 | 1% |
| Honey and royal jelly | 2 | under 1% |
| Feed materials | 1 | under 1% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 1 | under 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 47 | 17% |
| Belgium | 40 | 14% |
| Poland | 34 | 12% |
| Netherlands | 25 | 9% |
| France | 22 | 8% |
| Ireland | 19 | 7% |
| Bulgaria | 18 | 6% |
| Switzerland | 15 | 5% |
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