France Recalls Moroccan Peppers Over Illegal Pesticide Levels

It all started with the RASFF rapid alert: Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed. This revealed the presence of chlorpyrifos and thiabendazole, exceeding legal limits in a batch of Moroccan peppers, particularly the "Beef Horn" variety. Laboratory analyses carried out on April 28, 2025, revealed the presence of 0.038 mg/kg of chlorpyrifos and 0.039 mg/kg of thiabendazole, while the legal limit for these two substances is 0.01 mg/kg, according to notice No. 2025.3338, published by the platform at the end of last week. So far, no symptoms or cases of illness related to this batch have been reported.

Due to the serious danger to consumers, French authorities have classified the case as an alert on RASFF. Chlorpyrifos substances are known for their serious effects on the nervous system, especially in children, and their use has been banned in the European Union since 2020. As for thiabendazole substances, they are used as a fungicide, but within strict limits. Taking stock of the situation, authorities have also decided to immediately withdraw the product from markets and recall it from consumers. They have extended the warning to other European countries.

Following this discovery, investigations have been opened to clarify the circumstances surrounding the importation of Moroccan peppers. In total, three follow-ups, including an official request from the European Commission dated May 16, 2025, "without disclosure of additional details."