Dear readers, the weekly articles about EU food recalls is back with a slightly modified format, to be even more immediate. January was an hectic period and I had big changes in my firm: that will lead to better organisation and an enhanced capacity to answer regulatory services requests, but it took me energy and time.
Soon you will have more information via the blog.
This week on EU RASFF (Rapid Alert System for food and feed) we can find the following relevant notifications:
1. Alerts followed by a recall from consumers:
- Migration of melamine (3.1 mg/l) from melamine bowl from China, via Spain and via Italy, following an official control on the market. Notified by France, distributed also to Belgium, Luxembourg, Serbia and Slovenia.
2. Information for attention/for follow up followed by a recall from consumers:
None.
3. Alerts followed by a withdrawal from the market:
- Listeria monocytogenes (210 CFU/g) in frozen olive focaccia brie oregano from Portugal, following company’s own check. Notified by France, distributed also to United Kingdom;
- Metal particles (< 1 cm) in canned tortellini from Austria, following a consumer complaint. Notified by Austria, distributed also to Germany.
4. Seizures:
None.
5. Border rejections:
| Country of notification | Countries Concerned | Subject | Action taken |
| Denmark | Denmark, Turkey (O) | aflatoxins (B1 = 100; Tot. = 160 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnuts from Turkey | placed under customs seals |
| Germany | Germany, Turkey (O) | aflatoxins (B1 = 13.49 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted hazelnuts from Turkey | re-dispatch |
| United Kingdom | Brazil (O), United Kingdom | aflatoxins (B1 = 13.9; Tot. = 15.7 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled groundnuts from Brazil | use for other purpose than food/feed |
| Italy | Italy, Turkey (O) | aflatoxins (B1 = 15.3; Tot. = 16 µg/kg – ppb) in sweet apricot kernels from Turkey | informing recipients |
| Slovenia | Commission Services, Hungary, India (O), Slovenia, United States | aflatoxins (B1 = 29.5; Tot. = 32.5 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg in shell from India, via the United States | |
| Bulgaria | Bulgaria, United States (O) | aflatoxins (B1 = 3.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States | placed under customs seals |
| France | France, Turkey (O) | aflatoxins (B1 = 3.3; Tot. = 24.1 µg/kg – ppb) in whole organic hazelnut kernels from Turkey | return to consignor |
| Italy | Egypt (O), Italy, San Marino (D) | aflatoxins (B1 = 38.1; Tot. = 41.3 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from Egypt | placed under customs seals |
| Italy | Egypt (O), Italy | aflatoxins (B1 = 75.9; Tot. = 116.1 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from Egypt | placed under customs seals |
| Italy | Azerbaijan (O), Italy | aflatoxins (B1 = 9.5; Tot. = 10.2 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Azerbaijan | re-dispatch |
| Malta | China (O), Malta | aflatoxins (B1 = 9.8; Tot. = 12.0 / B1 = 4.5; Tot. = 5.6 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched peanuts from China | placed under customs seals |
| Italy | Italy, Turkey (O) | aflatoxins (Tot. = 32.5 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled hazelnuts from Turkey | official detention |
| Portugal | Iran (O), Portugal, Turkey | fenpropathrin (0.14 mg/kg – ppm) and ethion (0.024 mg/kg – ppm) and unauthorised substance propargite (0.030 mg/kg – ppm) in raisins from Iran, via Turkey | re-dispatch |
| Italy | Italy, Tunisia (O) | hepatitis A virus (presence) in chilled clams (Ruditapes decussatus) from Tunisia | destruction |
| Italy | Italy, Tunisia (O) | hepatitis A virus (presence) in chilled clams (Ruditapes decussatus) from Tunisia | destruction |
| Italy | Italy, Tunisia (O) | hepatitis A virus in grooved carpet shells (Ruditapes decussatus) from Tunisia | destruction |
| Italy | Commission Services, Italy, Thailand (O) | mercury (0.12 mg/kg – ppm) in canned cat food from Thailand | import not authorised |
| Netherlands | Brazil (O), Netherlands | poor temperature control (-14 <–>-6 °C) of frozen salted skinless half chicken breasts from Brazil | import not authorised |
| Italy | Italy, Turkey (O) | prochloraz (1.5 mg/kg – ppm) in pomegranates from Turkey | |
| United Kingdom | India (O), United Kingdom | Salmonella (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in betel leaves from India | import not authorised |
| Cyprus | Cyprus, Ukraine (O) | Salmonella (presence /25g) and Salmonella Senftenberg (presence /25g) in rapeseed meal from Ukraine | official detention |
| United Kingdom | India (O), United Kingdom | Salmonella (presence /25g) in betel leaves from India | import not authorised |
| Germany | Germany, Thailand (O) | Salmonella (present /25g) in frozen salted chicken breasts from Thailand | re-dispatch |
| Slovenia | India (O), Slovenia | Salmonella Isangi (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in hulled sesame seeds from India | placed under customs seals |
| France | Brazil (O), France, Netherlands | shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1+, stx2- /25g) in chilled boneless beef meat (Bos taurus) from Brazil | destruction |
| Bulgaria | Bulgaria, China (O) | spoilage of peanuts in shell from China infested with moulds | re-dispatch |
| Spain | Spain, Turkey (O) | too high content of sulphite (2314-3399 mg/kg – ppm) in dried apricots from Turkey | re-dispatch |
| Czech Republic | Czech Republic, Vietnam (O) | unauthorised substances carbendazim (0.25 mg/kg – ppm), hexaconazole (0.058 mg/kg – ppm), diafenthiuron (0.18 mg/kg – ppm) and chlorfenapyr (0.079 mg/kg – ppm) in fresh chilli peppers from Vietnam | official detention |
(Source: RASFF Portal)
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