Singapore, S Korea pull Trader Joe's over poppy seeds
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- Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau said on Wednesday that more than 20 online listings of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel seasoning were removed from e-commerce platforms, urging anyone with bottles to dispose of them.
- South Korean authorities said last week the seasoning tested positive for morphine and codeine — opiates found in poppy plant sap.
- Both countries ban poppy seeds outright because seeds can become contaminated with opiates during harvesting, even though they don't naturally contain narcotic substances.
- South Korean investigators found that some travelers brought the seasoning home as souvenirs from overseas trips before reselling it — some unknowingly, others knowingly.
- A South Korean police official warned that even legally sold overseas products can be classified as narcotic substances or prohibited imports in Korea.
- Trader Joe's released the seasoning in 2017; it contains sesame seeds, sea salt, minced garlic, minced onion, and poppy seeds.
Why it matters: Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act criminalizes even trace opiates, turning a 2017 Trader Joe's pantry staple into contraband across two Asian markets. South Korean police are now probing souvenir resellers, with Singapore urging existing owners to dispose of bottles they may not realize are illegal.
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