Iran — Nuts, Nut Products and Seeds — Pistachio
Iran received 87 RASFF border-rejection notifications in Pistachio, part of Nuts, Nut Products and Seeds between 2023-Q4 and 2026-Q3. Volume peaked at 16 in 2024-Q1, with the trend falling year-on-year. The most-cited issues are Aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin total, and aflatoxins. Measured against EU import value, that runs at 246.1 notifications per $1 billion of imports of this commodity from Iran over the last 3 years. The list below gives the 20 most recent rejections by date and RASFF reference, with the country that notified it and the hazard found; 20 carry the laboratory result and 7 say what happened to the consignment.
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Key figures
If you import pistachio from Iran
Higher risk. Iran ranks 2nd of 5 origins shipping pistachio to the EU on border rejections per $1 billion of EU imports, at 246.1 — above 75% of them.
least riskmost risk
- Chance a consignment is opened at the EU border
- 50% of consignments get identity and physical checks for aflatoxins (Reg. (EU) 2019/1793).
- Rejections against import volume
- On average, 1 border rejection per 276 tonnes imported into the EU over the last 3 years; the 2nd highest rejection rate of 3 origins with enough import volume on record to rate (EU import quantities 2022–2024, FAOSTAT).
- Size of a rejected lot
- Rejected lots are typically 22 t (median of 53 lot weights recorded at the border). Across origins of this product they run from 5 t (Turkey) to 22 t (Iran), so compare the rate per tonne, not the count of rejections.
- If it is rejected
- Held, final fate not recorded 47%; re-dispatched 32%; re-dispatched or destroyed 15%; not stated 3%; destroyed 1%; treated, sorted or diverted 1%. A re-dispatched lot can be sold elsewhere, a treated or sorted one can be released once it complies, and a destroyed one is lost.
- Where rejections happen
- Italy (34), Germany (31), Greece (6), of 87 border rejections in the last 3 years.
- Riskiest months
- September, January, May, by rejections since 2020.
- Test for before shipping
- aflatoxins (84).
The EU does not publish how many consignments are shipped, so no page can state a true probability of rejection; these are the figures that are published.
Quarterly rejections, last 12 quarters
Show the numbers
| Quarter | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2023-Q4 | 7 |
| 2024-Q1 | 16 |
| 2024-Q2 | 7 |
| 2024-Q3 | 7 |
| 2024-Q4 | 7 |
| 2025-Q1 | 4 |
| 2025-Q2 | 8 |
| 2025-Q3 | 13 |
| 2025-Q4 | 6 |
| 2026-Q1 | 4 |
| 2026-Q2 | 5 |
| 2026-Q3 | 3 |
Recent rejections
- 2026.8381 Aflatoxins in pistachios from Iran // Aflatoxinas en pistachos de Irán Notified by Spain. Re-dispatched. Result >24.0 μg/kg SUBMUESTRA 2 = 21.5 μg/kg (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.8347 Aflatoxins in pistachios from Iran // Aflatoxinas en pistachos de Irán Notified by Spain. Re-dispatched. Result SUBMUESTRA A: Suma 15.7 Aflatoxina B1 14.2 μg/kg SUBMUESTRA B: Aflatoxina B1 10.4 μg/… aflatoxins
- 2026.7560 AFLATOXINS IN SHELLED PISTACHIOS FROM IRAN Notified by Italy. Result 18 +/- 7,9 (limit 10,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.4438 Aflatoxinas pistachos de Irán /Aflatoxines pistachio from Iran Notified by Spain. Result >24.0 µg (limit 10 μg /kg). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.4278 Aflatoxins in shelled pistachios from Iran Notified by Italy. Re-dispatched. Result 42,2+/-18,6 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.3287 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Iran Notified by Germany. Re-dispatched or destroyed. Result B1: 33,4 +/-13,4 µg/kg ; Aflatoxine, Summe: 39,0 +/-15,6 µg/kg (limit Aflatoxin B1: 8; Af… aflatoxins
- 2026.3133 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Result 100+/-30 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.2823 Aflatoxin B1 and total above limits in pistachios from Iran Notified by Italy. Re-dispatched. Result 23.4+/-10,3 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.1692 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Iran via Türkiye Notified by Greece. Re-dispatched. Result 52,8+/-12,1 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.1028 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Iran, dispatched from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Result 186+/-52 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1total
- 2026.0937 Aflatoxins in shelled pistachios from Iran Notified by Italy. Result 19,3 +/- 1,7. Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.0717 Aflatoxinas por encima del nivel máximo permitido en pistachos de Irán. Aflatoxins above the allowed maximum level in pistachios kernelfrom Iran Notified by Spain. Result SUBMUESTRA A: Suma B1, B2, G1, G2 1 19.8 μg/kg ; Aflatoxina B1 1 18.8 μg/kg // SUBMUESTRA… aflatoxins
- 2025.10494 Aflatossine B1 e totali in pistacchi senza guscio dall'Iran///Aflatoxin B1 and total in unshelled pistachios from Iran Notified by Italy. Result 33.0 +/-3.8 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.10300 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernel from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 21.5+/-6.5 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxins B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.8776 Aflatoxins in pistachios from the Islamic Republic of Iran Notified by Germany. Result 180+/-72,0 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.8766 Aflatoxins in pistachios from the Islamic Republic of Iran Notified by Germany. Result 74,4+/-29,8 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.8690 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Iran via Türkiye Notified by Greece. Result 120+/-27,6 - 15,7+/-3,6 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.8439 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from the Islamic Republic of Iran Notified by Germany. Result 83,4 +/- 33,4 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.7341 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from the Islamic Republic of Iran Notified by Germany. Result 35,8 +/- 14,3 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.7248 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Iran Notified by Germany. Result Aflatoxin B1: 24,2+/-9,7; Aflatoxin Summe: 27,4+/-11,1 (limit Aflatoxin B1: 8; Aflatoxin … Aflatoxin
Found on the EU market: alerts and information notifications
Besides border rejections, 15 notifications since 2020 concerned pistachio from Iran found after entering the EU — 14 alerts, 1 information notifications. They are not part of the rejection figures or rates above, which measure border controls.
How they were found: official control on the market 53%, company's own check 40%, other 7%. 5 led to a recall from consumers.
Show the numbers
| Year | Total | Alerts | Information notifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 | 1 | 0 |
- 2026.8313 alertAflatoxin in shelled pistachios from Iran, via the Netherlands Notified by Hungary. Official control on the market, reached the market. Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin totalochratoxin A
- 2025.9520 alertAflatoxin in pistache kernels from Iran via Germany Notified by Netherlands. Official control on the market, reached the market, destroyed. Result 65 (limit 2,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.6024 info: attentionSalmonella in pistachios from the Islamic Republic of Iran Notified by Germany. Company's own check, not on the market. Result nachgewiesen in 125 g /// detected in 125 g. Salmonella spp
- 2025.1660 alertSalmonella Tennessee in pistachio paste from Spain Notified by Germany. Company's own check. Result detected in 375 g. Salmonella spp.
- 2024.3661 alertExceedance of aflatoxin in pistachios, from Iran Notified by Netherlands. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result 430 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2024.1607 alertAflatoxin B1 (92 ppb), Aflatoxin Sum (97 ppb) and Ochratoxin A (16 ppb) in pistachios from Iran via Spain Notified by Netherlands. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result 97 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin totalochratoxin A
- 2024.0511 alertAflatoxin B1 and total in Pistachios peeled Notified by Netherlands. Company's own check, re-dispatched. Result 300 ± 120 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2023.5093 alertAflatoxins and ochratoxin A in pistachios from Iran Notified by Spain. Company's own check, re-dispatched. Result 12;: 13 (limit 8; 10 µg/kg - ppb). aflatoxin totalochratoxin A
- 2023.2810 alertAflatoxins in pistachios from Iran, via Germany Notified by Austria. Company's own check, reached the market. Result 30 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). aflatoxin total
- 2023.0064 alertAflatoxins in organic pistachio kernels from Iran Notified by Lithuania. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result 90,92 ± 21,73 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
Data and downloads
Download all 177 entries (CSV) — every notification behind this page, border rejections and those found on the market, with how each was found and what was done.
The file holds entries up to 2026-09-22. To get new ones for Iran by email, watch Iran.
Iran country report since 2020 — all notification types, not just border rejections →