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Sesame import limits, by market.
The limits that actually apply to imported sesame, compared side by side and each tied to the instrument it comes from. Where a market sets no limit, this says so rather than filling the cell — several of the numbers in common circulation do not exist in law.
Destination market
The strictest destination on paper and the one that stops the most Nigerian sesame in practice — though overwhelmingly for Salmonella rather than for any chemical parameter.
| Parameter | Limit | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Aflatoxin B1 — for sorting or physical treatment before saleSesame is regulated as an 'other oilseed'. There is no sesame-specific aflatoxin row in EU law, and guidance quoting one is wrong. | 8.0 µg/kg | Reg (EU) 2023/915, Annex I row 1.1.4 |
| Aflatoxin sum (B1+B2+G1+G2) — for sorting or physical treatmentThis is the figure widely misattributed to Codex. It is the EU's. | 15.0 µg/kg | Reg (EU) 2023/915, Annex I row 1.1.4 |
| Aflatoxin B1 — direct consumption or as sole ingredient | 2.0 µg/kg | Reg (EU) 2023/915, Annex I row 1.1.5 |
| Aflatoxin sum — direct consumption or as sole ingredientAssessed on lower-bound concentrations: results below the limit of quantification count as zero. | 4.0 µg/kg | Reg (EU) 2023/915, Annex I row 1.1.5 |
| Salmonellan=5 under 20 tonnes, n=10 at 20 tonnes or more. Units of 100 g minimum, tested separately — pooling is not allowed. Method EN ISO 6579-1. Reg (EC) 2073/2005, usually cited here, sets no criterion for sesame. | Not detected in 25 g, every unit | Reg (EU) 2019/1793, Art 3(e) + Annex III point 1(a) |
| Border controls on Nigerian sesameAnnex II, not Annex I: an official certificate from the country of origin, plus sampling and analysis results, plus a CHED, are a condition of entry. Position as at the consolidated text applicable from 30 June 2026. | Annex II — 50% of consignments checked | Reg (EU) 2019/1793, Annex II row 12 |
| Pesticide residues — default where no MRL is setSesame is commodity code 0401040. This default governs most substances, so compliance is usually about what was never applied. | 0.01 mg/kg | Reg (EC) No 396/2005, Art 18(1)(b) |
| Ethylene oxide (sum of EtO and 2-chloroethanol)An Annex V substance-specific default at the limit of quantification — not an ordinary MRL and not the 0.01 default. 2-chloroethanol persists far longer than EtO itself, so a lot fumigated long before shipment can still fail. | 0.05 mg/kg | Reg (EC) No 396/2005, Annex V |
| Clothianidin and thiamethoxamApplies from 7 March 2026, down from 0.02. Any residue data older than that should be re-read against the new figure. | 0.01 mg/kg | Reg (EU) 2023/334 |
| Parameter | Limit | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Total aflatoxin (B1+B2+G1+G2)No averaging: if one specimen exceeds, the lot is non-compliant. | 10 µg/kg | MHLW aflatoxin notification (2011), applied to food generally |
| Pesticide residues — uniform limit where no MRL is setThe same practical discipline as the EU default, reached by a different route. | 0.01 ppm | Positive List System |
| ImidaclopridThe plan names 'Nigeria — sesame seeds — imidacloprid' specifically. Test for it on the pre-shipment sample and keep the certificate. Where violations recur from one origin within twelve months, Japan can move to an inspection order under which every consignment is held pending results — a residue question becomes a cash-flow question. | Enhanced monitoring — Nigeria, sesame | MHLW imported-foods monitoring plan, FY2025 |
| SalmonellaBuyers commonly impose it contractually instead. Do not read the absence of a border plan as an absence of risk. | No border sampling plan equivalent to the EU's | — |
| Parameter | Limit | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Aflatoxin B1 — RAW sesame seedThe widely repeated '5 µg/kg B1 and 10 µg/kg total for sesame' is wrong twice over: the 5.0 µg/kg figure applies to prepared (roasted) nuts and seeds, and the standard contains no total-aflatoxin indicator at all — it regulates B1 only. The standard still requires mycotoxins to be kept as low as achievable, and buyers impose limits contractually. | No numerical limit set | GB 2761-2017 |
| Aflatoxin B1 — prepared (roasted) nuts and seeds | 5.0 µg/kg | GB 2761-2017 |
| Aflatoxin B1 — vegetable oils other than peanut and corn oilRelevant if the seed is crushed into oil in China: the resulting oil must meet this level. | 10 µg/kg | GB 2761-2017 |
| Registration regime for raw sesameNOT the food-facility/CIFER regime most consultancies describe — Decree 280 carves primary edible agricultural products out of it. Registration requires official recommendation by Nigeria's competent authority and cannot be self-applied for. | Entry animal and plant quarantine registration | GACC Decree 280; Announcement 219/2025 |
| Governing decreeDecree 248 is superseded. Any guide describing 248 as current law is out of date. | Decree 280, in force 1 June 2026 | GACC Decree 280 |
| Parameter | Limit | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Commodity standard for sesame seedSesame appears in the Codex system only as an oil, within the standard for named vegetable oils. | None exists | — |
| Aflatoxin maximum level for sesame or oilseedsThe aflatoxin schedule covers tree nuts and peanuts. There is also no Codex code of practice for mycotoxins in oilseeds — a real gap for a crop with genuine aflatoxin risk. | None set | General standard for contaminants |
| Pesticide MRLs for sesame seed | One | Codex MRL database |
| The '15 µg/kg for oilseeds' figureThat construction is the European Union's and the misattribution circulates widely. Specify against the destination market, not against an international baseline that does not exist. | Not Codex | — |
Verified against primary instruments on 31 July 2026, with the EU increased-controls entries re-verified on 13 August 2026 against the consolidated text applicable from 30 June 2026. The reasoning behind each figure, including the three places most published guidance goes wrong, is set out in the compliance guide
How to use this
Name the destination market in your contract, then specify against the row that applies to it. “Food grade” means nothing without a destination, and the EU aflatoxin tier depends on the intended use you declare — sorting, direct consumption or crushing. Send us your specification and destination and we will quote against these parameters, written into the contract.
Frequently asked
What is the aflatoxin limit for sesame seeds in the EU?
There is no sesame-specific limit. Sesame is regulated as an 'other oilseed' under Regulation (EU) 2023/915, which gives two tiers depending on what happens to the consignment next: 8.0 µg/kg aflatoxin B1 and 15.0 µg/kg for the sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2 where the seed will be sorted or physically treated before sale, and 2.0 µg/kg B1 with a sum of 4.0 µg/kg where it goes to the final consumer. Guidance quoting a single sesame-specific figure is wrong.
Does Codex set an aflatoxin limit for sesame?
No. There is no Codex commodity standard for sesame seed, and the general standard for contaminants sets no aflatoxin maximum level for sesame or for oilseeds as a class — its aflatoxin schedule covers tree nuts and peanuts. The widely circulated line that 'Codex sets 15 µg/kg for groundnuts and other oilseeds' is the European Union's figure, misattributed.
What Salmonella testing does the EU require for Nigerian sesame?
Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 specifies the sampling plan, not merely the result: 5 sample units for a consignment under 20 tonnes and 10 units at 20 tonnes or more, each a minimum of 100 g, each tested separately with no pooling, by EN ISO 6579-1, with no detection of Salmonella in 25 g required for every unit. Regulation (EC) 2073/2005, which guidance usually cites here, sets no criterion for sesame seeds at all.
Is Nigerian sesame subject to increased checks at the EU border?
Yes. Nigerian sesame seed is listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 for Salmonella, at a 50% frequency of identity and physical checks. Annex II is the stricter tier: an official certificate issued in the country of origin, accompanied by sampling and analysis results and a Common Health Entry Document, is a condition of entry rather than merely good practice. This was re-verified against the consolidated text applicable from 30 June 2026.
Which residue should I test for if I am shipping sesame to Japan?
Imidacloprid, in addition to your normal panel. Japan's imported-foods monitoring plan for FY2025 names 'Nigeria — sesame seeds — imidacloprid' under enhanced monitoring inspection, so Nigerian-origin seed is actively screened for that specific residue. Japan otherwise applies a uniform limit of 0.01 ppm to any agricultural chemical with no specific maximum residue level, and a total aflatoxin standard of 10 µg/kg.
Does China set an aflatoxin limit for raw sesame seed?
No numerical limit. GB 2761-2017 regulates aflatoxin B1 only, with no total-aflatoxin indicator at all, and sets 5.0 µg/kg for prepared (roasted) nuts and seeds rather than for raw oilseed. The commonly repeated claim that Chinese law sets 5 µg/kg B1 and 10 µg/kg total for sesame is therefore wrong twice over. Note also that GACC Decree 248 was superseded by Decree 280 on 1 June 2026.
Sourcing sesame for the 2026/27 season?
New-crop arrivals begin in late November. Forward bookings open from August. Send us your specification and destination, and you will have a formal quotation within 48 hours.