Singapore and S Korea pull Trader Joe's seasoning over poppy seeds

What the report says

Singapore and South Korea have removed Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning from online marketplaces after officials said the product contains poppy seeds, which are prohibited in both countries. The BBC reported that Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau said more than 20 listings were taken down, while South Korean authorities previously found the seasoning tested positive for morphine and codeine, substances associated with opiates from the poppy plant.

The seasoning, made by the US grocery chain Trader Joe’s and first released in 2017, also includes sesame seeds, sea salt, minced garlic and minced onion. According to the BBC, the concern is not that poppy seeds naturally contain opiates, but that they can become contaminated during harvesting. Singapore authorities have told people who already have bottles of the product to dispose of them.

The move reflects the stricter drug and import rules in both countries. Singapore maintains a zero-tolerance approach to controlled drugs, while South Korean officials said some people had brought the seasoning home from overseas trips and later resold it online. In Korea, authorities cautioned that goods sold legally abroad can still be treated as prohibited imports or narcotics domestically, making the case a reminder for consumers and resellers to check local rules before buying food products overseas.