Trader Joe’s “Everything but The Bagel” seasoning has been targeted on airport warning signs in South Korea because the popular product contains poppy seeds.
At Incheon International Airport, which serves the South Korean capital of Seoul, one sign had pictures of the Trader Joe’s condiment with a warning that it violated the country’s narcotics laws. It has been forbidden in the country since 2022, per a Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety website.
“Seed products with narcotic substances have always been banned from being brought into Korea. Recently, the customs offices have been strengthening crackdown on narcotic related items,” airport representatives told CNN.
A blogger on the Korean web portal website Naver recently recounted their run-in with customs over the Trader Joe’s foodstuff.
“I bought about 20 of them as gifts, but they came out with a yellow Incheon Airport customs lock on the carrier,” user Tacoone wrote Sunday, as translated into English.
The American embassy in South Korea warns U.S. travelers that “attempting to travel into Korea with these products could result in a criminal investigation resulting in fines, entry and exit bans, or even imprisonment.”
While poppy seeds are not themselves narcotic, they can become contaminated with fluids from the poppy plant, the source of opium, during the harvesting process.
In February 2023, the Pentagon warned military service members to avoid food with poppy seeds because eating enough of them can cause someone to test positive for opiates on drug tests.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.