The wildly popular ‘Everything But the Bagel’ seasoning mix from beloved US grocery store chain Trader Joe’s is running afoul of narcotics laws in South Korea, and that’s proving to be a big challenge for airport authorities in Seoul, who are finding an increasing number of passengers trying to bring jars of the seasoning mix into the country.
Launched in 2017, the Everything But the Bagel seasoning mix is inspired, as the name would suggest, by the toppings on an everything bagel. It quickly became a customer favorite and in recent years it has grown a cult following from all over the world.
Yes, people visiting the United States from abroad will make trips to Trader Joe’s stores just to get their hands on the seasoning mix, so internationally acclaimed has this product become. And their intention is to bring as many of these jars back home with them as possible.
But that’s proving to be an issue for South Koreans as alongside sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt, a key ingredient in Everything But the Bagel seasoning mix is poppy seeds.
Poppy seeds are, however, banned in South Korea and Everything But the Bagel seasoning was specifically added to a list of banned products in the country in 2022.
That fact hasn’t, though, stopped South Koreans from trying to bring jars of the seasoning mix home with them, and now authorities at Seoul’s Incheon Airport have stepped up customs checks to confiscate the seasoning mix from passengers who could be inadvertently breaking drugs laws.
There are even signs up in Seoul Incheon specifically calling out Everything But the Bagel seasoning mix as being banned.
South Korea takes a rather cautious approach to the danger of poppy seeds because officials fear they may be contaminated with opiates.
Explaining the decision to start rummaging through passenger’s baggage in the hunt for an innocent-looking seasoning mix, an airport spokesperson explained: “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.”
It’s not just South Korea, however, where passengers should be cautious about bringing home Everything But the Bagel seasoning mix. You’ll also have to forego this cult classic if you are flying to Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates where the product is also prohibited because of the presence of poppy seeds.
