The first batches of chicken meat imported from Brazil into the European Union, under the EU–Mercosur trade agreement, have been rejected by sanitary authorities in Greece after the detection of Salmonella bacteria in several analyzed samples. The information was made public by representatives of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Geotechnical Engineers and was later picked up by the European specialized press.

According to the data presented, approximately three tons of frozen poultry meat arrived in Greece at the beginning of May 2026. Analyses carried out in a veterinary laboratory in Athens reportedly indicated contamination in a significant portion of the tested batches, and the goods were returned. So far, Greek authorities have not published a complete official report regarding the incident.

The case comes at a sensitive moment for the European agri-food market, as the EU–Mercosur agreement has recently entered provisional application and allows the expansion of trade between the European Union and the South American countries that are members of the Mercosur bloc. The poultry meat sector is among those considered sensitive by European farmers’ and processors’ organizations.

European food safety legislation imposes strict standards for products of animal origin imported from third countries. EU regulations provide for zero tolerance for certain types of Salmonella in poultry meat intended for human consumption, and non-compliant batches can be immediately rejected from the market.

The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein has contested the information regarding contamination and has requested official clarifications from European authorities. At the same time, the incident has reignited discussions about the capacity of sanitary-veterinary control systems to handle larger volumes of imports and about the impact of the Mercosur agreement on the competitiveness of European producers.

(Photo: AI GENERATED)