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Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau removed more than 20 online listings for Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning on Wednesday and urged consumers to dispose of any bottles in their possession. The bureau cited the product’s poppy seed content that can carry trace opiates even though the seeds themselves do not naturally produce them. According to a Straits Times report on August 7 the investigation began after South Korean test results surfaced and aligns with the Misuse of Drugs Act that treats any detectable controlled substances as an offense for possession or importation. The Central Narcotics Bureau added that Singapore maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward controlled drugs.
South Korean police blocked sales of the seasoning on the Karrot secondhand marketplace after the National Forensic Service detected morphine and codeine in samples. A police official told local media that even if a product is legally sold overseas it may be classified as a narcotic substance or prohibited import in Korea so particular caution is required. Fox Business reported on August 6 that the Mapo Police Station in Seoul collaborated with the platform to halt transactions following the positive tests. The Korea Herald noted that some travelers had imported the blend as souvenirs either unaware of the rules or knowingly risking violations.
The seasoning blend released by Trader Joe’s in 2017 consists of poppy seeds sesame seeds sea salt minced garlic and minced onion. An updated scientific opinion published by the European Food Safety Authority in 2018 found that poppy seeds can become contaminated with opium alkaloids as a result of pest damage or during harvesting when sap from the Papaver somniferum plant transfers to the seeds. The EFSA confirmed a group acute reference dose of 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight for morphine and codeine to protect consumers who eat large quantities of poppy seed foods.
Singapore enforces pre-import certification for all poppy seed products requiring a Health Sciences Authority laboratory report confirming no detectable morphine before Central Narcotics Bureau endorsement. Guidelines published on the narcotics bureau website specify that importers must submit an inward declaration form accompanied by origin-country documentation for approval by customs. This framework has been in place for years and the current action against the Trader Joe’s product builds on similar enforcement against unregulated poppy seed foods.
United States regulators have adopted a different stance with the Food and Drug Administration stating in 2026 guidance that it does not advise consumers to avoid poppy seed-containing foods in general while monitoring for misuse of unwashed varieties. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has documented that commercial poppy seeds are imported and typically washed to reduce opiate residues although some sellers market unprocessed seeds for tea. Petitions filed with the FDA have sought formal tolerance limits for opiate alkaloids to balance food use and safety across international supply chains.
