Food recalls in EU – Week 11/2015

This week on the EU RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) we can find the following notifications:

1. Alerts followed by a recall from consumers:

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (<1.0103 CFU/g) in soft cheese from France, following an official control on the market. Notified by Germany;

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Campylobacter in spring onions from Egypt, via Germany, following an official control on the market. Notified by Denmark.

2. Information for attention/for follow up followed by a recall from consumers:

None

3. Alerts followed by a withdrawal from the market:

– Allergens: traces of peanut (1.71 mg/kg – ppm) in pili pili powder from China, following company’s own check. Notified by Belgium, distributed also to Czech Republic, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom;

– Heavy metals: mercury (2.34 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled vacuum packed swordfish from Spain, following an official control on the market. Notified by Italy;

– Mycotoxins: ochratoxin A (29 µg/kg – ppb) in pumpkin seeds from China, via Germany, following an official control on the market. Notified by Netherlands;

– Mycotoxins: ochratoxin A (183 µg/kg – ppb in dried figs from Spain, following company’s own check. Notified by France;

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen minced meat from Poland, following an official control on the market. Notified by France;

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria monocytogenes (<10 CFU/g) in cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk from France, following company’s own check. Notified by France, distributed also to United Kingdom;

– Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria monocytogenes (< 10 CFU/g) in cheese made with raw cow’s milk from France, following company’s own check. Notified by France, distributed also to Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands and Spain.

4. Seizures:

None

5. Border rejections:

• acetamiprid (0.026 mg/kg – ppm) in pomegranates from Turkey
• aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 12 µg/kg – ppb) in pecan nuts from the United States
• aflatoxins (B1 = 11; Tot. = 60 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels and peanuts in shell (B1 = 3.4; Tot. = 8.4 µg/kg – ppb) from China
• aflatoxins (B1 = 29; Tot. = 33 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels, with raw material from Afghanistan, and in dried figs (B1 = 6.5; Tot. = 7 / B1 = 10.8; Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) from Turkey
• aflatoxins (B1 = 6.8; Tot. = 8.1 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts and red chili (B1=18.1 µg/kg – ppb) from India
• aflatoxins (B1 = 67 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran, dispatched from Turkey
• aflatoxins (Tot. = 129 µg/kg – ppb) in almonds from Afghanistan, dispatched from Turkey
• ochratoxin A (24.3 µg/kg – ppb) in raisins from Uzbekistan
• azoxystrobin (0.08 mg/kg – ppm) and fipronil (0.02 mg/kg – ppm) and unauthorised substance carbendazim (0.02 mg/kg – ppm) in red peppers from the Dominican Republic
• chlorpyrifos (1.067 mg/kg – ppm) in peppers from Turkey
• dead insects and excrements of insects (20.6; 21.1 %) in dried dates from Turkey
• ethephon (3.9 mg/kg – ppm) in grapes from Peru
• formetanate (0.172 mg/kg – ppm) in peppers, sweet peppers (1939 mg/kg – ppm) and cucumbers (2.204 mg/kg – ppm) from Turkey
• metalaxyl (0.169 mg/kg – ppm) and fenamiphos (0.328 mg/kg – ppm) in courgettes from Turkey
• FCM: migration of chromium (0.4 mg/kg – ppm) from blades for meat grinder from China
• FCM: migration of formaldehyde (up to 259 mg/kg – ppm) from melamine set (glasses, plates cutlery) from China
• FCM: migration of primary aromatic amines (1.1 mg/kg – ppm) from melamine kitchen utensils from China
• FCM: migration of primary aromatic amines (aniline: 0.029; 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane: 0.0681 mg/kg – ppm) from nylon tableware from China
• FCM: too high level of overall migration (518 mg/kg – ppm) from chrome winebottle set from China
• norovirus (group I detected /25g) in frozen white clams from Vietnam
• oxydemeton-methyl (0.14 mg/kg – ppm) in fresh beans from Kenya
• Salmonella (presence /25g) in hulled sesame seeds and Salmonella Mbandaka (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from India
• unauthorised substance carbendazim (0.03 mg/kg – ppm) in rice from India
• undeclared colour E 133 – Brilliant Blue FCF (15 mg/kg – ppm) and unauthorised use of colour E 102 – tartrazine (76 mg/kg – ppm) in frozen seaweed salad from China
• unsuitable organoleptic characteristics of chilled lamb leg from New Zealand