Poland detains Egyptian frozen strawberries after pesticide level breaches

Polish border authorities stopped a shipment of frozen strawberries from Egypt after laboratory tests found the fungicide dodine at 0.058 mg/kg and the acaricide bifenazate at 0.038 mg/kg, both well above the EU maximum residue limit of 0.01 mg/kg. The breach was reported to the EU rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF) on 3 July 2026 and classified as a "potential risk". No illnesses or poisonings have been linked to the batch, which was intercepted before entering the market.

The European Commission approved the notification, and the RASFF record notes that the product may be returned to the country of origin or destroyed. The incident involves Polish agencies such as the State Sanitary Inspection, Veterinary Inspection, and Customs. Egypt supplies roughly 74 % of Poland’s frozen strawberry imports, with 62,200 tonnes imported in 2025, a record high.

The detection underscores the EU’s food‑safety framework, which relies on joint inspections, EFSA scientific assessments, and the RASFF system to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers.