Alarm

In this section we repeated alert notices from the RASFF system of the European commission issued in the previous month, which we thought to be noteworthy and of interest to our clients. 

 

We will refrain from repeating the numerous reports on mycotoxin and salmonella limit violations here. It is always the same countries of origin and matrices that are affected. However, we like to put your attention to the act that in numerous cases missing allergen information was categorized as serious and caused border rejections too.
You can analyze the RASFF-site conveniently by yourself using several filter options and limit the notification to those which are of direct interest to your business.

We will screen the RASFF listing week by week also in future selecting challenging findings in our opinion.

 

Chemical Hazards:

Product

Origin

Ethylene oxide/2-hlorethanol:

instant noodle soup (0,17 mg/kg)

South Korea

instant noodle chicken taste (0,11 mg/kg)

Ukraine

ice cream

France

Rice Protein Isolate (31,8 mg/kg)

Germany /Netherlands

Madras Curry Powder

India

Semi processed products for the food industry distributed in many European countries

 

instant noodles (2-Chlorethanol 0,64 mg/kg (MRL 0,02 mg/kg))

South Korea

organic food supplement (2-Chlorethanol 760 mg/kg)

India, via Germany

Satin powder (Spice)

France

Guarana extract

UK

Origanum majorana ess. Oil

Egypt

Spice mix (2) , Red chilli & Chilli powder (2-Chlorethanol)

India

Heavy and toxic metals

Shrimp powder (Cadmium: 5,9 mg/kg (MRL: 2,5 mg/kg ))

Morocco

Rye flour (Lead: 0,41 mg/kg (MRL: 0,2 mg/kg))

Netherlands

Histamine

Tuna fillet (404 mg/kg (MRL 200 mg/kg))
distributed in BE and NL

Maledives

Mycotoxins

basmati brown rice (5) (aflatoxin B1: 5,6 / 4,7 /14 /11/ 7,3 µg/kg (MRL:2 µg/kg))

Pakistan

Masala (spice) (aflatoxin B1: 5µg/kg (MRL 5 µg/kg))

Pakistan

Rice (3) (aflatoxins: 4,6 / 7,9 / 9,7 µg/kg (MRL 2 µg/kg))

Pakistan

Rice (aflatoxins: 4,9 µg/kg (MRL 2 µg/kg))

India

Nutmeg (2) (Ochratoxin A 61,7 / 33 µg/kg (MRL 15 µg/kg))

Indonesia

PAH

Kabanos sausage (Benzo[a]pyrene 2,7 µg/kg (MRL 2 µg/kg, total PAH 22,3 µg/kg MRL 12 µg/kg))

Poland

Freekeh (green wheat, roasted)

Turkey

Pesticides

 

 

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Cumin seeds (2) (50.000 µg/kg / 11907,7 (MRL 400 µg/kg))

Turkey

Sudan dyes and other unauthorized colorants

Sumac spice preparation (Sudan IV)

Turkey

THC / CBD

Chewing gum (Δ-9-THC)

Netherlands, via Germany

CBD oil (Δ-9-THC 115 – 331,5 mg/kg)) distributed in many European countries

Ireland

Hemp oil (THC: 1186 mg/kg)

Netherlands

Tea blends with hemp leaves (THC: 17,6 / 16,5 mg/kg)

Germany

Food supplements (THC 923 /968 mg/kg)

Denmark

 

Microbiological Hazards

Product

Origin

Listeria monocytogenes

Quenelles

France

Sheep's cheese

Spain

Smoked salmon

Spain

Smoked salmon

Germany

Smoked fish

France

Herring filet in oil

Netherlands

Chicken kebab

Poland

Salmonella

Black sesame seeds (O7)

India

Coconut meat

Vietnam, via Netherlands

Flax seeds

Netherlands

Smoked salmon

Spain

Ground ginger

Poland

Ground black pepper

Spain

VTEC/STEC

Beef tartar (VTEC)

Poland

Norovirus*

Oysters (3)

France

 

Other Hazards

Origin

Overdose of vitamin D3 and incorrect labelling in food supplements from Germany, distributed online via Austria

Germany

incorrect labelling (for infants up to 6 months) on milk for children

Austria

Too high levels of Vitamin A and D in infant formula
Vitamin A: 587 / 726 / 874 µg /100g (allowed: 450 µg/kg)
Vitamin D: 12.7 / 17.7 / 21.8 µg /100g (allowed: 10,7 µg/kg)

Netherlands

 

 

 

YOUR PLUS: *Our laboratory AGROLAB Blasy-Busse is allowed to work with pathogenic food viruses and offers also analysis for Norovirus.

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger