Why you can’t buy moringa in Australia and New Zealand

For many Malayalis, moringa is not a trend, a supplement or a so-called superfood. It is simply part of everyday cooking. Fresh drumstick leaves find their way into thoran and curries, tender drumsticks add flavour to sambar, and every home has a story about the plant's place in traditional food and medicine.

From sambar pots in Kerala to health-food shelves around the world, moringa has travelled far beyond the backyard tree it once was. The plant's leaves, pods and powders are now sold as nutrient-rich foods in markets across continents.

That is why a recent decision by Australian authorities has caught the attention of expatriate communities. Australia has tightened restrictions on moringa products after food regulators concluded that there is not enough reliable scientific evidence to confirm their safety for commercial sale as food.

The move has led to headlines claiming that moringa has been "banned" in Australia. The reality, however, is more nuanced.

A food that's too familiar for some, too unfamiliar for others
The decision stems from an assessment by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the agency that evaluates the safety of foods sold in Australia and New Zealand.

In Australia, moringa falls under the category of a "novel food" — a food that does not have a long history of consumption within the country. Such foods must undergo a safety assessment before they can be approved for commercial sale.

An application was submitted seeking approval for fresh and dried moringa leaves, immature green pods and moringa seed oil to be sold as food products and food ingredients. After reviewing the available studies and evidence, FSANZ rejected the application. The agency said it had identified potential safety concerns and that the available data were insufficient to complete a full safety assessment.

Importantly, the regulator did not conclude that moringa is unsafe. Rather, it concluded that there was not enough high-quality evidence to confirm its safety under the standards required for approval.

Commercial sale and imports affected
The restrictions primarily target the commercial food market.

• Retailers are not permitted to sell moringa leaves, pods, seed oil or moringa-based food ingredients.
• Popular products such as moringa powder, moringa capsules and moringa tea are also covered under the restrictions.
• Moringa products imported for food or supplement use may be stopped and seized at the border.

Under Australia's Imported Food Control Act 1992, products that fail to meet food standards can be destroyed or sent back. Importing restricted food products in violation of regulations may attract legal action.

Can you grow moringa at home?
The restrictions have led to confusion among some residents, with many wondering whether even growing a moringa tree is prohibited.

The answer is no.

The regulations are aimed at commercial cultivation, sale and marketing. Individuals are generally free to grow moringa trees in their home gardens for personal use. Consuming leaves or pods harvested from privately grown trees is not prohibited.

Officials say the measures are intended to ensure that foods entering the commercial market meet Australia's stringent food safety standards, especially when dealing with products that have not traditionally been part of the country's food system.

A reminder of how food rules differ across the world
The story also highlights how differently countries evaluate food.

Many ingredients that are considered ordinary in one culture may be treated as novel foods elsewhere. For regulators, a long history of traditional use is not always enough. They often require extensive toxicology data, human studies and safety assessments before a product can enter the commercial food supply.

For Malayalis, that may sound surprising. After all, moringa has been part of home cooking for generations. Yet Australia's decision is less a judgement on the ingredient itself and more a reflection of the country's highly precautionary approach to food safety.

The result is a curious situation: an ingredient that is a kitchen staple across Kerala is now facing hurdles in one of the world's most tightly regulated food markets.