Compliance
Orange orchard in November,
From the 2027 season, every grower lot will be tested by an accredited laboratory before it ships. This page shows what is tested, the release rule, and the laboratories and rules behind it.
What every lot will be tested for
| Product | Pesticide residues | Ethylene oxide | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids | Salmonella | Aflatoxins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| German chamomile | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Calendula From the 2027/28 season | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Fennel seed | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Anise seed | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Caraway seed | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Black seed (nigella) | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Sweet marjoram | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Sweet basil | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Mint | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Parsley | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Dill | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Thyme | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Groundnuts in shell | yes | no | no | yes | yes |
| Dry onions | yes | no | no | no | no |
Notifications on Egyptian herbs, seed spices, groundnuts and onions in the EU alert system, 2020 to 2026
Notifications in the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) with Egypt as the country of origin, counted per product from the public database on 16 October 2026; the newest record was validated on 2 October 2026. They are counts of notifications, not of lots shipped, and they describe the origin as a whole, not any one supplier.
None of these notifications concerns a lot of Desert Bounty: the company has not shipped yet.
| Product | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026* | Total | At the border | Market control | Company's own check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| German chamomile | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Calendula | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fennel seed | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Anise seed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caraway seed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Black seed (nigella) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweet marjoram | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 11 | 5 |
| Sweet basil | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| Mint | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Parsley | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Dill | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Thyme | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Groundnuts in shell | 20 | 42 | 40 | 13 | 56 | 16 | 7 | 194 | 174 | 2 | 18 |
| Dry onions | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
* 2026 is a part year: records to 2 October 2026.
| Product | Hazard | Notifications | Will be covered by the test |
|---|---|---|---|
| German chamomile | chlorpyrifos | 5 | Pesticide residues |
| ethylene oxide (including 2-chloroethanol) | 2 | Ethylene oxide | |
| thiophanate-methyl | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| Calendula | No notification for this product in the period. | ||
| Fennel seed | chlorpyrifos | 5 | Pesticide residues |
| Anise seed | pyrrolizidine alkaloids | 1 | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids |
| Caraway seed | No notification for this product in the period. | ||
| Black seed (nigella) | No notification for this product in the period. | ||
| Sweet marjoram | pyrrolizidine alkaloids | 6 | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids |
| Salmonella | 4 | Salmonella | |
| chlorpyrifos | 3 | Pesticide residues | |
| ethylene oxide (including 2-chloroethanol) | 2 | Ethylene oxide | |
| allergen not declared | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| methomyl | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| perchlorate | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| propiconazole | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| Sweet basil | Salmonella | 8 | Salmonella |
| chlorothalonil | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| chlorpyrifos | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| perchlorate | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| Mint | chlorpyrifos | 7 | Pesticide residues |
| malathion | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| profenofos | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| Salmonella | 1 | Salmonella | |
| allergen not declared | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| dimethoate | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| foreign body | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| propargite | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| Parsley | Salmonella | 5 | Salmonella |
| chlorpyrifos | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| propiconazole | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| azoxystrobin | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (sum) | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| Dill | chlorpyrifos | 4 | Pesticide residues |
| Salmonella | 2 | Salmonella | |
| carbendazim | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| benzo(a)pyrene | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| pesticide residues, active not named | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| Thyme | Salmonella | 3 | Salmonella |
| chlorpyrifos | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| ethylene oxide (including 2-chloroethanol) | 1 | Ethylene oxide | |
| Groundnuts in shell | aflatoxins | 189 | Aflatoxins |
| cyfluthrin | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| propamocarb | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| Dry onions | carbofuran | 3 | Pesticide residues |
| chlorpyrifos | 2 | Pesticide residues | |
| Salmonella | 1 | Salmonella | |
| acetamiprid | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| fluazifop-p | 1 | outside the four tests | |
| lufenuron | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
| profenofos | 1 | Pesticide residues | |
12 of the notifications name no hazard in the structured record (for example a document issue); they count in the first table only.
A test covers a hazard within the laboratory's accredited scope and quantification limits, which the lot report states.
93 of the 282 notifications on these products arose after the goods were inside the EU, 49 of them from a company's own check. From the 2027 season the four tests on every lot will cover the hazards marked in the second table.
Source: RASFF Window, the public database of the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed. Counts are rerun before this page is updated. RASFF Window
The release rule
A lot is released only if every pesticide residue is within the EU maximum residue level (MRL) and nothing banned in the EU is detected.
Our laboratory
The laboratory for the 2027 season will be named here once it is agreed in writing. Status as of 20 October 2026.
Our supplier's packhouse
Our supplier's packhouse in Fayoum is a registered, licensed facility, inspected by Egypt's National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) and certified to ISO 22000:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 for the processing and packaging of herbs, seeds and spices.
From the 2027 season, processing for the EU market will be carried out at an IFS- or BRCGS-certified plant.
Accredited food laboratories in Egypt
The four test columns say whether the laboratory's published scope covers the test: yes, no or not stated.
Reference list. The laboratories below are accredited in Egypt for food testing, as published by the national accreditation body on 6 October 2026. A listing does not mean that Desert Bounty has a contract with the laboratory. Each lot report will name the laboratory that tested the lot.
| Laboratory | City | Accreditation number | Pesticide residues | Ethylene oxide | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids | Salmonella | Aflatoxins | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Food Safety Laboratory | Cairo | 021814/1 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Central Agricultural Pesticides Laboratory Residue scope names food of plant origin. | Giza | 021818 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Central Laboratory of Residue Analysis of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Food (QCAP) EGAC also publishes a renewed schedule dated 14 October 2026; the directory still shows 13 October 2026. | Giza | 0212019 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Central Lab of Residue Analysis of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Food Same laboratory as EGAC entry 0212019; its A2LA scopes add pyrrolizidine alkaloids. | Giza | 6833.01, 6833.02 | yes | no | yes | yes | not stated | |
| Central Lab of Residue Analysis of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Food (QCAP) Accredited by A2LA (United States), not listed by EGAC. Ethylene oxide scope: dry agricultural products. | Ismailia | 6833.03 | yes | yes | no | no | not stated | |
| Food and Water Laboratories for Microbiology, Chemistry and Toxicology Analysis Residue scope names plant-origin food. | Giza | 0208002 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Alexandria Port Laboratories, Gate 14 Branch | Alexandria | 022533 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Microbiology Laboratory, Ramses Branch | Cairo | 021937 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Chemical and Food Testing Laboratories, Cairo Airport Branch Residue scope names food of plant origin. | Cairo | 020409/1 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Chemical and Food Testing Laboratories, Damietta Port Branch Residue scope names food of plant origin. | Damietta | 020725 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Chemical and Food Testing Laboratories, Dekhila Port Branch The directory lists this branch as Alexandria Port Branch; the schedule names Dekhila Port. | Alexandria | 020723 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Chemical and Food Testing Laboratories, Port Said Branch Residue scope names food of plant origin. | Port Said | 020724 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Food Development and Safety Center Residue scope names dry food, fresh fruits and vegetables. | Qaha | 0221036 | yes | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Chromatography Laboratory, Central Laboratories Network Ethylene oxide scope: sesame seeds and herbs. The schedule prints validity as November 2024; the directory shows 2028. | Giza | 022406 | no | yes | no | no | not stated | |
| Center for Scientific Excellence for Food Research and Analysis Laboratory (CSEFRA) | 6th of October City | 022256 | no | no | no | yes | not stated |
| Laboratory | City | Accreditation number | Pesticide residues | Ethylene oxide | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids | Salmonella | Aflatoxins | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACERTA Laboratory | Cairo | 0218005 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Agri Lab for Food Safety Analysis | Giza | 0222011 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Food Safety Lab, Al Mokhtabar | Giza | 022024 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Al-Noor Laboratory for Inspection and Testing | Port Said | 022135 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Food and Water Analysis Laboratory | 6th of October City | 021613/1 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Food Laboratory, Conformity Assurance | 6th of October City | 022243 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Diamond Laboratory | Giza | 021922 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| First Calibration and Testing Laboratory | Cairo | 021913 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| FoodEX Laboratory | Cairo | 022536 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Green Business Solutions Laboratories | Cairo | 022333 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Healthy Lab | Alexandria | 021917 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| ILAB for Food and Water Analysis | 6th of October City | 022253 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| International Experts Group for Quality Services Laboratories | Alexandria | 022440 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Life Laboratory, 6th of October City | 6th of October City | 022503 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Life Laboratory, Hurghada Branch | Hurghada | 0226011 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Life Laboratory, Sharm El Sheikh | Sharm El Sheikh | 022322 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Q-Lab Laboratory | 6th of October City | 022311 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Smart Central Laboratory | New Borg El Arab | 022009 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Technolab Laboratory | 6th of October City | 021309 | no | no | no | yes | not stated | |
| Analysis of Residues and Trace Contaminants Lab Residue scope names food of plant origin and food supplements. | Cairo | 022246 | yes | no | no | no | not stated |
The rules behind the tests
EU limits for residues and contaminants
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EU Pesticides Database: maximum residue levels
Current EU maximum residue levels by pesticide and product; dried herbs, herbal infusions and seed spices each have their own product codes.
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EU law on pesticide residues. Article 18 makes the maximum residue levels binding and sets a default of 0.01 mg/kg where no specific level exists.
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Sets the EU residue definition for ethylene oxide, the sum of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol expressed as ethylene oxide, in Annex V to Regulation 396/2005.
-
Commission note on applying MRLs to processed and dried products, relevant where an MRL refers to the fresh herb, such as basil or marjoram.
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Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food
EU maximum levels for contaminants in food; Annex I, point 2.4 sets the pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels for dried herbs and herbal infusions.
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Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs
EU microbiological criteria for food. Annex I sets Salmonella criteria for sprouted seeds, pre-cut fruit and vegetables and unpasteurised juices, none for dried herbs.