The EU is mulling a ban of imports of sunflower oil from Ukraine due to fears of contamination with mineral oil, a spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more


The Ukrainian government has been unable to guarantee the safety of sunflower oil shipments, after they were transported in a container that had previously carried mineral oil and which had not been cleaned properly.


“The sunflower oil has been contaminated with hydrocarbons and carries carcinogens,” a spokesperson for the EU told just-food from Brussels today (22 May). “We had requested the Ukrainian authorities to guarantee that no contaminated oil be exported to the EU. The deadline for this commitment passed yesterday. We are now taking the steps necessary to safeguard European consumers.”


In April, some 40,000 tonnes of contaminated oil were exported to France from the Ukraine, where it was split into seven batches and resold to customers from France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.