Overview

• Marseille customs seized 15,300 jars of El-Mordjene, weighing 9.7 tonnes, in a record operation in late March 2025.
• The spread, produced by Algeria's Cebon, has been banned in the EU since September 2024 for failing to meet animal health and food safety standards.
• Authorities also confiscated 1,800 kg of topping and 1,560 cartons of biscuits during the operation, highlighting broader enforcement efforts.
• El-Mordjene gained viral popularity in summer 2024 through social media influencers but is now trafficked illegally at inflated prices, reaching up to €30 per jar in Marseille.
• No evidence suggests the spread poses a health risk, but the ban remains in place due to Algeria's failure to provide required safety guarantees to the European Commission.