Belarus restriction on Greenfield buckwheat and cocoa drink takes effect

Belarus banned the import, circulation and sale of Greenfield Buckwheat & Cocoabeans in single-use sachets from October 10 after its standardisation authority reported microbiological safety violations.

According to Gosstandart, the tested product contained mould at 70 times the permitted level. Inspectors also detected coliform bacteria whose presence breached food safety requirements. Those findings formed the basis for restricting the drink’s circulation.

The authority found the product non-compliant with the Customs Union’s food safety technical regulation. The restriction concerns the specified Greenfield Buckwheat & Cocoabeans drink in Belarus. The announcement does not establish that every Greenfield variety is prohibited or that Russia has introduced the same restriction.

Lenta.ru also referred to tea inspections conducted in Russia in October 2025. Those checks concern a different period and violations, and do not establish the cause of the current contamination. The report provided no information about consumers becoming ill or findings explaining the origin of the microorganisms.