Over 192 tons of food and feed from third countries were not allowed into the country following inspections at the border control points of Bulgaria in February 2026. A total of 29 shipments were stopped after official veterinary and phytosanitary control, announced the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA).

Among the rejected shipments are peppers, tomatoes, mandarins and pomegranates with established excessive content of pesticide residues. Dried figs were stopped due to ochratoxin A, and hazelnuts and pistachios – due to the presence of mycotoxins. Shipments of dairy products, chicken meat, and eggs were returned after checking the documentation of origin.

At the border, it is checked whether the goods meet the permissible levels for residues and contaminants in the European Union (EU), whether their documents are in order and whether their origin can be traced in the established manner, the BFSA recalls.

For the rejected shipments, 20 notifications were created in RASFF – the EU system for rapid alert for food and feed risks. 

Earlier, the BFSA announced that it would conduct inspections based on reports of misleading labeling of the origin of fruits and vegetables. The topic was discussed at a meeting between the management of the Agency and the Branch Chamber „Fruits and Vegetables“ (BCFV). „Imported products are repackaged and offered on the market as Bulgarian,“ representatives of the Chamber stated. They called for even more intensified control over imports, the traceability of products, and the correct labeling of their origin.