A popular American food seasoning mix meant to “make bagel toppings delicious” has come under fire in South Korea, where poppy seeds – one of its key ingredients – have been banned.
Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning Mix — a crunchy mix of sesame seeds, salt, dried garlic, dried onion and poppy seeds — has been on South Korea’s restricted food list since 2022, but travelers say it has been Confiscated objects. in recent weeks.
Signs at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport identify the salty contraband.
A user on X shared a photo of an airport sign with an image of the product. The sign reads in Korean: “We would like to inform you that the following products containing poppy seeds are restricted from being brought into the country under the name “Papaver Somniferum L,” an ingredient of the poppy family, designated under South Korea’s Drug Control Act For narcotic substances.
The Washington Post reports that staff at Incheon Airport have been showing travelers photos of the product and confiscating cans. A South Korean citizen returning from her honeymoon in the United States said she was asked to fill out a customs form declaring she was bringing drugs into the country after she was caught carrying nuts coated in bagel seasoning.
In recent years, “Everything But the Bagel” condiments have made their way out of U.S. supermarkets and gained a large following around the world.
Influencers on social media show it sprinkled on everything from bagels to omelettes, soups and grilled salmon. Trader Joe’s also has a strong following in parts of East Asia — in Japan, the grocer’s canvas tote bags are a fashion icon.
According to an airport spokesperson interviewed by CNN, “Seed products containing narcotic substances have always been prohibited from being brought into South Korea. Recently, customs has stepped up its crackdown on drug-related items.
Although poppy seeds do not contain opium, authorities worry they may be contaminated with opioids, which can relieve pain and cause drowsiness.
In February 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense advised service members not to eat foods containing poppy seeds to avoid “positive codeine urinalysis results” in drug tests.
According to USADA, “Consumption of foods containing poppy seeds may exceed the morphine threshold, and USADA cannot predict how long morphine or poppy seed morphine metabolites will remain in your system.” .
South Korea is not the only country to restrict poppy seeds, with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Singapore also banning them.
