A specification is a written list of what a lot of dried bay leaves must meet before a buyer accepts it. This guide gives a general checklist of points to ask any bay leaf supplier about, based on public market guidance. It contains no values from AgroHoby. Numeric limits are agreed with the supplier for each grade and each order.

What is a bay leaf specification?

A bay leaf specification is a written agreement on the quality, safety, packaging and paperwork of a lot. It turns a grade name into points that can be checked on arrival. The CBI market guide notes that buyers often use a product data sheet to set their own requirements, so ask for one or send yours.

It names the product, the form and the grade.
It lists the quality and safety points with agreed limits.
It states packaging, labelling and the documents that travel with the lot.

Which quality points should the specification cover?

Cover moisture, foreign matter, leaf size and the share of broken leaf, colour and aroma. Ask the supplier how each point is measured and what limit applies to your grade. Some buyers use trade association guidance as a reference, for example the quality minima of the European Spice Association, which the CBI guide describes.

Point	What to ask	Why it matters
Moisture	The limit and the test method	Trade guidance sets limits for it
Foreign matter	The limit for stems, dust and other matter	Shows how clean the lot is
Leaf size and broken leaf	The size range and how much broken leaf is allowed	Sets the look of the lot
Colour	The expected colour and how uniform it is	Shows how the leaf was handled
Aroma	How the smell is assessed	Linked to the essential oil in the leaf

Which safety checks should I request?

Ask for laboratory results that match the rules of your import market. For the European Union, the CBI guide lists pesticide residues within legal limits, no Salmonella, and limits for plant toxins such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids in dried herbs. It also notes that buyers typically expect laboratory reports that are no older than six months.

Pesticide residues: ask for the analysis and the limits it was checked against.
Microbiology: ask for Salmonella results.
Plant toxins: ask whether the lot was tested where your market sets limits.
Report date: check that the laboratory report is recent.

What should packaging and labels show?

Ask the supplier to state the packaging type, the net weight and the way the lot is sealed. For bulk packs, the CBI guide lists the details a label should carry: product name and variety, batch code, net weight, shelf life or expiry date, storage conditions, lot number, country of origin and the details of the manufacturer or importer.

Packaging: carton, bulk or custom, with the net weight of each unit.
Label content: the list above, adapted to your market.
Shelf life: the period the supplier states and the storage conditions that apply.

Which documents should the supplier send?

Ask which documents your country requires before the order is confirmed. The CBI guide says phytosanitary certificates apply to fresh herbs and spices and to seeds for sowing, and that organic goods need their own electronic certificate. Your customs broker can confirm what applies to dried bay leaves in your market.

Laboratory report for the lot you are buying.
Commercial invoice and packing list with the correct customs code.
Any document your import country asks for, confirmed in advance.

How do I write the specification into an order?

Put the agreed points into the purchase order or contract, and attach the product data sheet. State the botanical name, Laurus nobilis, the grade, the form, the packaging, the quantity and the delivery terms. Agree how a lot is sampled and who pays for testing if a result is disputed, so that a disagreement can be settled quickly.

Botanical name, grade and form.
Quality and safety limits with test methods.
Sampling method and what happens if a result is disputed.
Read more in our guides to bay leaf grades and how to import bay leaves from Turkey.

How do I ask AgroHoby for a quote?

Tell us the grade you need. Add the packaging, the quantity and the country you import into, and our export team will reply by email. You can start from the request a quote form for Turkish bay leaves, and common questions are answered in the FAQ about Turkish bay leaves.

See the range on the Turkish bay leaves page.
Read how we grade on the quality control page.

More buyer guides are listed on our resources page.

Sources

Last updated: October 2026