Food recalls in EU – Week 2 – 2014

This week on the RASFF database (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) we have one recall from consumers in EU, following an alert notification:

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Salmonella Spp in chilli powder, following an official control on the market. Origin United Kingdom, notification from Germany, distributed also to Czech Republic and Poland.

Between the information for attention and the information for follow-up, we have two other recalls:

– Food additives and flavourings: unauthorised use of colour E 127 – erythrosine in cake decorations, following a consumer complaint. Origin United States, notification from Finland (distributed via Netherlands);

– Allergens: lactoprotein in dark chocolate cranberry bar, following an official control on the market. Origin United Kingdom, notification from Slovenia.

Between the alert notifications, followed by a withdrawal from the market of the product:

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria Monocytogenes in enoki mushrooms, following company’s own check. Origin South Korea, notification from Netherlands, distributed also to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain and United Kingdom;

– Allergens: undeclared milk ingredient in chilled bengali cod curry, following company’s own check. Origin and notification from United Kingdom, distributed also to France, Ireland, Netherlands.

In Italy we have also a seizure of chilled vacuum packed swordfish loins for presence of heavy metals (mercury). Origin Spain.

Regarding border rejections we have, among the others, aflatoxin in roasted pistachio nuts and in dried lerida figs from Turkey, in blanched groundnuts from Nicaragua, in peanuts, in chilli powder and in groundnut chutney from India, in almonds without shell from Australia and in raw shelled peanuts from Brazil. Salmonella in frozen clams from Vietnam and in paan leaves from Bangladesh. Absence of health certificate for sunflower oil from Ukraine and spicy peanuts from China. Norovirus (group II) in chilled clams from Tunisia, shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled beef from Brazil, parathion-methyl  in chickpeas from India, carbendazim, flutriafol and flubendiamide and unauthorised substance dichlorvos in fresh mint from Morocco, benzalkonium chloride (BAC) in chilled eddoe from Costa Rica and prohibited substance nitrofuran (metabolite) furazolidone (AOZ) in frozen shrimps from India

For feed we have an alert notification, followed by a withdrawal from the market, of dog chew for presence of Salmonella Infantis (pathogenic micro-organisms). Origin Poland, notification from Sweden.

For food contact materials we have border rejections for migration of nickel from stainless steel wine opener set and for migration of formaldehyde from melamine dishes and tumbler from China.

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• Food recalls in EU – Week 1 – 2014 (www.foodlawlatest.com)
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• Food recalls in EU – Week 50 (www.foodlawlatest.com)
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