Food News

Alert notices from RASFF concerning food (except fruit & vegetables - see special section)

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 all mycotoxin and salmonella limit violations but show only a selection to pinpoint the risks. However, we like to put your attention to the fact that in numerous cases missing allergen information was categorized as serious and caused border rejections too.

You can analyse the RASFF-site conveniently by yourself using several filter options and limit the notification to those which are of direct interest to your business. Link: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search

 

Chemical Hazards: Product Origin
3-MCPD & Glycidylesters Glycidylesters 2256 µg/kg (1000 µg/kg) in vegetable ghee (widely distributed in Europe) Saudia Arabia
3-monochlor-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD)  20,9 mg/kg (15 mg/kg) in infant milk France
Biotoxins Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins 215 µg/kg (160 µg/kg) in live bivalve molluscs (Ruditapes decussatus) Portugal
Ethylene oxide (EO) /
2-chlorethanol (2-CE) +)		 EO 10,22 mg/kg (!!!) (0,05 mg/kg), 2-CE 6,55 mg/kg in food supplements India
EO 1,7 mg/kg (!) in psyllium husk powder India
Heavy and toxic metals Arsenic 39,7 mg/kg (!) in green-lipped mussel New Zealand, via Netherlands

Lead  0,34 mg/kg (0,15 mg/kg) in savoy salami with boar meat

 France
Cadmium 0,41 mg/kg  (0,15 mg/kg) in Carnaroli rice  Italy
Mercury  1,4 mg/kg (0,5 mg/kg) in fish  (Lophius budegassa) Tunisia, via Italy
Mercury 1,8 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in sword fish Spain, via Italy
Mercury 1,6 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in defrozen tuna loins Spain
Mercury 1,9 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in thawed vacuum-packed yellowfin tuna loins (Thunnus albacares) Spain
Iodine Increased iodine content 9 mg/kg & 12 mg/kg in seaweed salad (2) China (2)
Excessive iodine content in dried seaweed Italy
Morphine 78 mg/kg (20 mg/kg) in poppy seeds  Czech Republic
191 mg/kg (20 mg/kg) in poppy seeds Poland
Morphine alkaloids 2,86 mg/kg (1,5 mg/kg) in breadsticks with poppy seeds Romania
191 mg/kg, 182 mg/kg & 26 mg/kg (20 mg/kg) in poppy seeds (2) Slovakia (3)
Mycotoxins Aflatoxin B1 22,3 µg/kg (6 µg/kg); Aflatoxins (total) 61,6 µg/kg (10 µg/kg) in dried figs Turkey
Aflatoxin B1 104 µg/kg (!) (6 µg/kg); Aflatoxins (total) 185 µg/kg (!) (10 µg/kg) in dried figs Turkey
Aflatoxin B1 7 µg/kg (2 µg/kg) in rice Pakistan
Aflatoxin B1 4,24 µg/kg (2 µg/kg) in dietary drink powder Germany
Aflatoxin B1 3,9 µg/kg (2 µg/kg) in roasted sesame seed  Pakistan

Aflatoxin B1 32 µg/kg, 50 µg/kg (!) & 111,8 µg/kg (!) (4 µg/kg) in organic pistachio cream (3)

 Italy (3)
Fumonisines 3.007µg/kg (1.000 µg/kg) in maize Peru
Ochratoxin A 4,6 µg/kg (3 µg/kg) in ground roasted coffee Belgium
Ochratoxin A 14,1 µg/kg (8 µg/kg) in sultanas Turkey
Ochratoxin A 132,1 µg/kg (20 µg/kg) in paprika powder Turkey
PAH Benzo(a)pyrene 34,4 µg/kg (!) (2 µg/kg) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 225 µg/kg (!) (12 µg/kg) in smoked fish Ghana
Pesticides Chlorpyrifos +) 0,044 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg ), Chlorfenapyr 0,18 mg/kg (!) (0,01) and Diflubenzuron 0,1 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg)  in concentrated tomato Egypt
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,043 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in green coffee Honduras
Bifentrhin 0,69 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Carbendazim 4,7 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +) 0,075 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Iprodione 0,028 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Propiconazole 0,027 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) & Thiophanate.methyl 13,1mg/kg (!!) (0,01 mg/kg) in pickled wineleaves Egypt
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,027 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Chlorflurazon +) 0,046 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Lamda-Cyhaklothrin 0,064 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg). Dinotefuran +)  0,55 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) & Tolfenpyrad 0,33 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg)  in green tea Taiwan
Chlorate +) 4,78 mg/kg (!), 4,17 mg/kg, (!), 2,67 mg/kg (!), 1,99 mg/kg (!), 1,66 mg/kg (!) & 0,76 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) in chicken meat preparation (7) Thailand (7)
Matrine +)  0,25 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in tea China
Tricyclazole 0,032 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg)  in rice India
Thiametoxam 0,15 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Tricyclazole 0,29 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) & Aflatoxin B1 7 µg/kg (2 µg/kg) in rice India
Acetamiprid 0,0066 mg/kg &  Chlorpyrifos +) 0,033 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg ) in organic bulgur Turkey
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,013 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Lambda-Cyhalothrin 0,22 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) and Pirimiphos-methyl 0,55 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in dried beans Cameroon 
Dichlorvos +) 0,14 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) and Trichlorfon 0,15 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in dried beans Cameroon 
Bifenthrin 0,044 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) and Novaluron 0,042 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in dried plums Ukraine
Anthraquinone +) 0,35 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg)  & Folpet 0,80 mg/kg (!) (0,03 mg/kg) in dried plums Ukraine
Anthraquinone +) 0,12 mg/kg (0,02 mg/kg)  in black pepper Madagascar, via France
Biphenyl 0,39 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in dried lemon slices Turkey
4-chlorphenoxyacetic 0,24 mg/kg (!) & 0,14 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) acid in soybean sprouts in brine Thailand
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 16.221 µg/kg (!) & 15.363 µg/kg (!) (400 µg/kg)) in cumin powder (2) Turkey (2)
594 µg/kg (200 µg/kg) in herbal tea Morocco, via Spain
12.000 µg/kg (!) (400 µg/kg) in cumin Lebanon
16.000 µg/kg (!) (400 µg/kg) in cumin Spain
3.640 µg/kg (1.000 µg/kg) in dried oregano  Turkey
6.501 µg/kg (1.000 µg/kg) in oregano  Turkey
Sudan dyes and
other forbidden dyes +)		 Unauthorized colour Sudan IV 26,6 µg/kg in palm oil Ghana
Colour E 129 - Allura Red AC  873 mg/kg (300 mg/kg) in cherry popcorn  
Sulfite /SO2 E220- sulfur dioxide 37,2 mg/kg  in table olives Morocco
495 mg/kg Sulfites in prawns UK, via Denmark
Sulfites undeclared on the label Norwegian lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) UK, via Denmark
Tetrahydrocannbinol (THC) +) and  Cannabidiol CBD +) Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 1202 µg/kg (!!!) and unauthorised novel food ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) 5.443,101 mg/kg (!!!) in chewing gum  Czech Republic
Delta 9 THC 762 µg/kg and CBD 21% in CBD oil  Switzerland
Titanium dioxide (E171) +)  in confectionary Turkey
Tropane alkaloids Atropine 52 µg/kg (15 µg/kg) and scopolamine 14 µg/kg (15 µg/kg) in conventional bulk corn France
Veterinary drug residues Doxycyclin 700 µg/kg (100 µg/kg) in shrimps Vietnam, via Netherlands
Nitrofuran (metabolite) nitrofurazone (SEM) +) 3 µg/kg in dehydrated salted beef casings  India

  

+) application is prohibited

MRL exceeded: (!) ≥10 times, (!!) ≥50 times, (!!!) ≥ 100 times

 

Microbiological Hazards Product Origin
Bacillus cereus in Soumbara spices Togo via Switzerland
E.coli in vongole (mussels) 360  MPN/100g (230 MPN/100g) Italy
in clams (Chamelea gallina) 700 MPN/100g  Italy
 in clams (Tapes decussatus) Italy
in mussels (Mytilus Galloprovincialis) (2) Italy (1), Spain (1)
E.coli STEC/VTEC Shigatoxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Morbier cheese France
Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in goat cheese France
Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
in salad vegetable mix		 Netherlands
Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC)
in raw goat milk cheese 		 France
Listeria monocytogenes in smoked trout fillets Denmark
in Gorgonzla cheese (organic) Italy
in roast beef  Ireland, via Netherlands
in smoked salmon Germany
in smoked burnt salmon Belgium
in smoked bacon Poland
in tahini Netherlands
Norovirus  in frozen oysters France
Salmonella in sesame paste  Turkey
in sucuk raw sausage Austria
in mussels  (Mitilus galloprovincialis) (2) Spain (1) , Netherlands (1)
in bivalve molluscs France
in penny waffles Netherlands
in betel leaves India
in frozen lime leaves Thailand
 in raw shrimp Bangladesh
Vibrio cholerae Vibrio cholerae in shrimps (3) Ecuador (3)
Vibrio vulnificus in frozen in shrimp ravioli United Kingdom
Vibrio parahaemolyticus & Vibrio cholerae in Mediterranean mussel  (Mitilus galloprovincialis) Spain

 

Other Hazards Origin
Presence of unauthorised novel food (Parmotrema perlatum) in food preparations containing flaked cereals  India
Unauthorised novel food ingredients and too high content of caffeine 396 mg/dosage (200 mg/dosage) and piperine 9,6 mg/dosage (2 mg/dosage)  in food supplement (Gannikus Original Galenikus Booster) Germany
Presence of pseudoterranova parasite family anisakidae in gutted chilled angler (Lophius piscatorius)  Denmark
Unauthorised novel ingredient hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) in fruit jelly Austria
Unapproved genetically modified organism (rice) in rice noodles  Vietnam
foreign body (wood) in the finished product (fish pan) manufactured in Belgium Germany
Too high content of capsaicin in Mais tortilla chip with carolina reaper and trinidad moruga scorpion chili (Hot Chip Challenge) Czech Republic
Unauthorised food additives E407 (Carragene) and E410 (Carubin ) which may cause choking (recall) in jelly strips  Netherlands, notified by Denmark
Unauthorised food additives E407 (Carragene), E410 (Carubin ) and E415 (Xanthan gum) which may cause choking  in jelly strips  China, notified by Denmark
Presence of lipophyse toxins in a tellin fishing area France
Detection of emodin and aloe emodin in food supplements France
Unauthorized substance magnesium in metal form in food supplement Slovakia

 

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger