Japan increases monitoring of Canadian apple juice and cider exports

Effective July 1, 2025, Japan has implemented enhanced import monitoring on Canadian apple juice products (including apple cider) and apple juice used in further processing. This decision follows the detection of patulin levels exceeding the legal limit (0.05 ppm) in a single shipment of Canadian apple cider.

As a result:

● 30% of all shipments from Canada in this product category will now be tested for patulin.

● If one more non-compliant shipment is found, Japan will test 100% of incoming

Canadian product.

Patulin is a natural mycotoxin produced by certain molds, especially Penicillium expansum, which thrives in damaged or moldy apples. High patulin levels are usually linked to poor fruit quality (bruising, rot or decay), inadequate culling during juice or cider production, or poor sanitation or storage conditions.