Exporting Nigerian Sesame to the EU, Japan and Korea: Salmonella, Aflatoxin and Residue Requirements

Natural white Nigerian sesame earns its best prices in the European Union, Japan and South Korea. Those markets also apply the strictest food-safety controls on sesame of any in the world, and consignments that fail are rejected, destroyed or re-exported at the importer's cost. Here is what each requires and how a well-run exporter prepares for it.

European Union

• Increased official controls. Sesame from Nigeria is listed under the EU regulation on temporary increased controls (Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 as amended) for Salmonella and pesticide residues. Consignments must be accompanied by an official certificate and the results of sampling and analysis, and a set proportion is physically checked at the border control post. [Owner: check the current annex and check frequency for Nigerian sesame before publishing.]
• Salmonella — absent in 25 g, tested on samples drawn according to EU sampling rules.
• Aflatoxin — maximum 2 ppb B1 and 4 ppb total for oilseeds intended for direct human consumption.
• Pesticide residues — within EU maximum residue levels; ethylene oxide is a particular focus following past sesame recalls.

Japan

• Aflatoxin maximum 10 ppb total, tested under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare monitoring system.
• Pesticide residues under Japan's positive-list system — any substance without a set MRL defaults to 0.01 mg/kg.
• Strong preference for colour-sorted, 99.5%+ purity white seed with very low foreign matter; appearance is scored on arrival.

South Korea

• Import inspection by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; aflatoxin and residue limits broadly aligned with Japan.
• Korea imports large volumes of sesame for oil and food and applies a quota/tariff system that favours established, compliant suppliers.

How an exporter prepares

1. Source and dry properly. Mould and aflatoxin start in the field and on the drying floor; seed dried on bare earth or stored damp is rejected at intake.
2. Clean to the standard. Gravity separation and optical sorting remove the stones, soil and immature seed that carry contamination.
3. Test before loading. Representative samples go to an accredited laboratory for Salmonella, aflatoxin and residues before the container is booked, not after.
4. Treat where needed. Steam sterilisation at destination (through the importer's processor) is the accepted route to Salmonella-free food-grade sesame for the EU; we coordinate documentation accordingly.
5. Document correctly. Official certificates must match the consignment exactly — consignee, container, seal, lot — or the border post will hold the cargo.

Renamy Sesame Nigeria prepares food-grade sesame for these markets with laboratory testing on every lot and welcomes your appointed inspector at sampling and loading. See our Sortex-cleaned grade or talk to us about your market's requirements.