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🍎 Food GB BE LU PT December 18, 2020

Ethylene oxide in sesame seeds

Classification
Alert notification
Risk
Serious
Category
herbs and spices
Origin
United Kingdom
Notifier
United Kingdom
🗄
Archived (older alert)
This alert was reported 1988 days ago and has been moved from our active feed to the archive. The original safety information still applies — we have no confirmation from the issuing agency that the product is safe again. Refer to the official notice for the current status.
📈 Timeline
0 days in total
May 17, 2026 May 17, 2026
Daily snapshot data starts accumulating once the scheduler runs — for now this is interpolated from the agency's first/last dates.

What is this? Sesame seeds may have a harmful chemical called ethylene oxide. This chemical can be dangerous if eaten too much.

What's happening? Some sesame seeds in the UK have been found with ethylene oxide. These seeds were sold in Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, and the UK.

Does this affect me? If you bought sesame seeds from these countries, you might have some at home.

What should I do? Do not eat the sesame seeds. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you feel unwell.

🤖 This plain-language summary is automatically generated from the official agency notice using AI. It is for general information only — not medical advice. For decisions about your health, always consult a pharmacist or doctor and read the official source linked below.

🔬 Medical / technical details (for professionals)
Agency-published detail

Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: herbs and spices · Origin: United Kingdom · Notifier: United Kingdom

First published
December 18, 2020
Last refreshed by us
1 week ago
Severity (as classified)
High
Official source
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search?notificationReference=2020.5866

All information on this page comes from the official agency notice. We translate and summarise it; we don't add or edit facts.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

▸ What is this product recall alert about?
Ethylene oxide in sesame seeds. Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: herbs and spices · Origin: United Kingdom · Notifier: United Kingdom
▸ When was this alert issued?
This alert was issued on December 18, 2020 by EU RASFF.
▸ Which countries are affected?
The alert applies to the following countries: United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Portugal.
▸ How serious is this alert?
Serious risk. A serious risk means the product or medicine can cause significant harm. Treat the alert as urgent.
▸ What should I do?
If you have this product at home, stop using it and return it to the point of purchase for a refund. Keep the receipt if you have one — most retailers refund without it for safety recalls.
▸ Where can I find the official notice?
The full official notice is published on webgate.ec.europa.eu.

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⚠️ We aggregate official notices. We do not give medical advice. For medical or legal decisions, consult the source agency and a qualified professional.