Bringing exotic fruits or plants in your luggage may facilitate the spread of bacteria or harmful insects

This is an official message to travellers from the European Union valid for these months of July and August. “Please do not bring back any exotic fruits or plants in your suitcases when you return from vacation.” The risk of accidentally importing bacteria, viruses, fungi, insects, harmful to our forests and our agriculture, via plants or fruits that we bring back as holiday souvenirs, is not zero.

Our food depends on 80% of plants, says EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, and according to FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 20 to 40% of global food production is lost each year due to pests that attack plants.

Even if the plant or fruit appears to be perfectly intact and healthy, they should not be brought back. This also applies to seeds, because viruses, bacteria, fungi are not visible to the naked eye. Nor are insects, because they can be present in the leaves or fruits in the form of larvae. A single insect or parasite can cause major damage. The example cited in this European campaign is that of the Japanese beetle, which was accidentally introduced into certain EU Member States. France has been spared for the moment, but is not immune. This beetle can attack a total of 300 species of plants, fruit trees, vines, all kinds of broadleaf trees. It is even harmful to garden lawns. Invasive exotic species do not damage plants.

These invasive exotic species accidentally introduced by tourism or trade can cause other problems. Asian hornets devour pollinators, termites or zebra mussels damage pipes or buildings, the tiger mosquito carries viruses, these are just a few examples among others. A CNRS team established in 2023 that over the last 40 years in the world, with the increase in travel and trade, biological invasions have cost more than all earthquakes, or all floods. Prevention is better than cure, then.