Turkey — Nuts, Nut Products and Seeds — Pistachio
Turkey received 66 RASFF border-rejection notifications in Pistachio, part of Nuts, Nut Products and Seeds between 2023-Q3 and 2026-Q2. Volume peaked at 14 in 2024-Q1, with the trend falling sharply year-on-year. The most-cited issues are Aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin total, and aflatoxins. Measured against EU import value, that runs at 244.0 notifications per $1 billion of imports of this commodity from Turkey 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; 19 carry the laboratory result and 19 say what happened to the consignment.
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Key figures
If you import pistachio from Turkey
Above the median. Turkey ranks 3rd of 5 origins shipping pistachio to the EU on border rejections per $1 billion of EU imports, at 244.0 — above 50% 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 188 tonnes imported into the EU over the last 3 years; the 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 5 t (median of 45 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
- Re-dispatched 45%; held, final fate not recorded 20%; re-dispatched or destroyed 18%; destroyed 17%. 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 (26), Bulgaria (21), Germany (7), of 66 border rejections in the last 3 years.
- Riskiest months
- January, December, February, by rejections since 2020.
- Test for before shipping
- aflatoxins (63), ochratoxin A (2).
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-Q3 | 0 |
| 2023-Q4 | 1 |
| 2024-Q1 | 14 |
| 2024-Q2 | 3 |
| 2024-Q3 | 2 |
| 2024-Q4 | 12 |
| 2025-Q1 | 11 |
| 2025-Q2 | 9 |
| 2025-Q3 | 10 |
| 2025-Q4 | 1 |
| 2026-Q1 | 2 |
| 2026-Q2 | 1 |
Recent rejections
- 2026.3521 Aflatoxins in roasted and salted pistachios from Turkey Notified by Germany. Re-dispatched or destroyed. Result 19,2 +/- 7,7 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2026.2448 Aflatossine oltre i limiti consentiti in Pistacchio sgusciato Origine/Provenienza Turchia/ Aflatoxins exceeding permitted limits in shelled pistachios from Türkiye Notified by Italy. Re-dispatched or destroyed. Result 15,8 ± 0,7 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxins
- 2026.1091 Aflatossine oltre i limiti consentiti in Pistacchio con guscio Origine/Provenienza Turchia/ Aflatoxins above permitted limits in pistachios in shell Origin/Provenance Türkiye Notified by Italy. Re-dispatched or destroyed. Result 89,5 ± 9,8 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.7488 Aflatoxin in pistachio kernel from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Destroyed. Result 239.0+/-47.2 (limit 10.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.7468 Aflatoxins in roasted in shell salted pistachio from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Destroyed. Result 35.8+/-10.2 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxinaflatoxin total
- 2025.7237 Aflatoxins in roasted pistachio from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Destroyed. Result 69.8+/-18.8 (limit 10.00 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.7028 Aflatoxins in roasted pistachio from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 13.2+/-4.0 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.6620 Aflatoxin in inshell pistachio roasted from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 19.0 +/- 5.1 (limit 10.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.6229 Aflatoxins in pistachios in shell from Türkiye Notified by Germany. Result Aflatoxin B1 57,9+/-23,2; Aflatoxin Summe 62,3 +/-25,0 (limit Aflatoxin B1 8; Aflatoxin S… Aflatoxin
- 2025.6051 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernel from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 13.5+/-4.1 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.5985 presenza di aflatossina B1 e SOMMA DI AFLATOSSINE IN PISTACCHI SGUSCIATI DALLA TURCHIA/ presence of aflatoxin bB and sum of aflatoxins in shelled pistachios from Türkiye Notified by Italy. Destroyed. Result 32,2 ± 2,9;16,7 ± 1,8 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.5705 Aflatoxins in pistachios from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 19.8+/-5.9 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.5177 Aflatoxins above legal limits in shelled pistachios from Turkey Notified by Italy. Destroyed. Result 495.7+/-34.4; 515.7+/-32.6. Aflatoxin B1aflatoxins
- 2025.5173 Aflatoxins in pistachio kernels from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 12.4+/-3.7µg/kg (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1
- 2025.4520 Aflatoxin in antep pistachio kernel fromTürkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 16.4 +/- 4.9 (limit 8.0 mg/kg - ppm). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.4456 Aflatoxin in granulated pistachio kernels from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Destroyed. Result 52.8+/-15.8 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.4279 Aflatoxins in pistachio from Turkey Notified by Spain. Re-dispatched. Result >24.0. aflatoxins
- 2025.4082 Aflatoxins in organic pistachio kernels from Türkiye Notified by Greece. Re-dispatched. Result 56,0+/-12,9 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.3983 Aflatoxin in pistachio kernels from Türkiye Notified by Bulgaria. Re-dispatched. Result 20.0+/-6.0 (limit 8.0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.3454 Border rejection of sesame seeds and pistachios due to failure to provide documentation (health certificate and laboratory report) Notified by Ireland. Destroyed.
Found on the EU market: alerts and information notifications
Besides border rejections, 12 notifications since 2020 concerned pistachio from Turkey found after entering the EU — 9 alerts, 3 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 58%, company's own check 33%, other 8%. 5 led to a recall from consumers.
Show the numbers
| Year | Total | Alerts | Information notifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 | 1 | 0 |
- 2026.3442 alertSalmonella spp. in pistachio cream from Türkiye Notified by Germany. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result nachgewiesen /// detected. Salmonella spp.
- 2025.6443 alertAflatoxins in pistachios from Turkey Notified by Germany. Other, reached the market, destroyed. Result 565,2 // 258,6// 771,9 // 656,9// 878,6 // 28,3 //375,3 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). aflatoxin totalochratoxin A
- 2025.5569 alertUndeclared allergen (milk protein) in pistachio cream from Turkey Notified by Germany. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result approximately 2900. milk
- 2025.5089 info: attentionSuspiciune aflatoxina in fistic granulat din Turcia/// Aflatoxins in granulated pistachios from Türkiye Notified by Romania. Company's own check, reached the market. Result 12,4 (limit 8 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2025.2987 alertAflatoxins in pistachios from Turkey, via the Netherlands Notified by Germany. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result 31,2+-12,5 (limit 8,0 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin total
- 2024.2000 alertOrganic roasted pistachio nuts with aflatoxin Notified by France. Company's own check, reached the market, re-dispatched. Result 17,1 (limit 8 /mg). Aflatoxin B1
- 2024.1789 alertListeria monocytogenes in pistachio powder from Turkey, via France Notified by Germany. Company's own check, reached the market, destroyed. Result nachgewiesen. Listeria monocytogenes
- 2024.1403 info: attentionSalmonella in Helva with pistachios from Turkey Notified by Germany. Company's own check. Salmonella
- 2024.0802 alertSalmonella Havana in Helva with pistachios from Türkiye, via Germany Notified by Germany. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result detected. Salmonella Havana
- 2021.7126 info: attentionaflatoxins and ochratoxin A in roasted and salted pistachios in shell from Turkey Notified by Germany. Official control on the market, reached the market. Result 29.7 +/- 11.9 (limit 10 µg/kg - ppb). Aflatoxin B1aflatoxin totalochratoxin A
Data and downloads
Download all 139 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 2026-04-23. To get new ones for Turkey by email, watch Turkey.
Turkey country report since 2020 — all notification types, not just border rejections →