Food News

Alert notices from RASFF concerning food (except for fruit & vegetable see special section)

Alarm

In this post, we are repeating essential alerts from the European Commission's RASFF system from the last two months due to the RADAR summer break.

 

We will not repeat the information on all the mycotoxin and salmonella limit exceedances, but will show only a selection to illustrate the risks. However, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that in numerous cases, missing allergen information was classified as serious and also led to limit exceedances.

You can easily analyse the RASFF page yourself using various filter options and limit the messages to those that are of direct interest to your company. Link: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search

 

JULY & AUGUST 2024

 

Chemical Hazards: Product Origin
Antibiotics & Veterinary drug residues Nitrofuran (metabolite) furazolidone (AOZ) +) >0,5 mg/kg in shrimps India
Biogenic amines Histamine 680 mg/kg (200 mg/kg) in tuna  France
Histamine 1133,5 mg/kg (200 mg/kg) in blue fin tuna loins unknown, notified by France
Histamine 680 mg/kg (80 mg/kg) in anchovis Albania, notified by Italy
Ethylene oxide (EO) +) /
2-chlorethanol (2-CE)  (sum of 2-chloroethanol and ethylene oxide, expressed as ethylene oxide) +)		 EO 0,78 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) in crushed chillies India
EO 0,21 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) in sesame seeds India
EO 0,31 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) in food supplement India
EO 1,5 mg/kg) (!!) (0,2 mg/kg) in Boswellia serratia extract India
EO 0,33 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) in psyllium husk India
EO 0,3 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg in spices India
Dioxins, ndl-PCB and PCB Dioxins 1,9 ng/kg (0,75 ng/kg) in rice bran oil Finland notified by Netherlands
Heavy and toxic metals Arsenic 0,215 mg/kg (0,15 mg/kg) in rice Thailand
Cadmium  0,128 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) in millet flour India
Cadmium 0,27 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg in chips Belgium
Cadmium 0,9 mg/kg & 1,2mg/kg (0,5 mg/kg) in sunflowers seeds (2) USA, notified by Spain (2)
Inorganic arsenic 0,64 mg/kg (0,25 mg/kg) in husked rice Guayana, notified by Spain
Lead 0,252 mg/kg (0,10 mg/kg resp. 0,03 mg/kg) in a can of pineapple in pieces Thailand, notified by Germany
Lead 0,2 mg/kg (0,10 mg/kg in green lentils Poland
Mercury 1,5; 2,04; 1,54 & 2,3 mg/kg (1,0 mg/kg) in frozen sword fish (4) Spain (4)
Mercury 2,2 mg/kg (1,0 mg/kg) in thawed swordfish ingot (sashimi) Spain
Mercury 3,4 (1,0 mg/kg) in frozen mako shark Spain
Mercury 1,7 mg/kg (1,0 mg/kg) in tuna loin Spain
Iodine High iodine content 1.909 mg/kg & 1.234 mg/kg  in dried seaweed China, via Germany
Mineral oil residues MOSH/MOAH Mineral oil residues 13 mg/kg (!) (0,5 mg/kg)  in tea India
Mineral oil residues (MOAH) 6,3 mg/kg (!) (0,5 mg/kg) and Bacillus cereus 100.000 cfu/g (!) (10.000 cfu/g))  in dried lemon grass powder Thailand
MOAH 1,2 mg/kg (0,5 mg/kg) in mint chewing gum Netherlands
MOAH 3,5 mg/kg (2 mg/kg) in palm fat powder Malaysia
MOAH 3,7 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in decaf coffee Belgium
MOAH  3,9 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in Coffee Pads Extra D Roast Netherlands
MOAH 1,7 - 5,2 mg/kg (1 mg/kg) in organic coffee Peru
Mineral oil residues 2 mg/kg (0,5 mg/kg) in whole wheat crackers Germany
Mineral oil residues 74 mg/kg (!!!) (0,5 mg/kg) in basmati rice Pakistan
Mycotoxins Aflatoxin B1 0,9 - 0,25 µg/kg (0,1 µg/kg) in baby food jars Germany
Aflatoxin B1 30,52 µg/kg (8 µg/kg) &  Aflatoxins (total) 30,52 µg/kg (10 µg/kg) in pistachio paste Italy
Aflatoxin B1 30,1 µg/kg (8 µg/kg) & Aflatoxins (total) 32,8 (10 µg/kg) in shelled pistachios Turkey
Aflatoxin B1  6,8 µg/kg (2 µg/kg) & Aflatoxins (total) 11,5 µg/kg (4 µg/kg)  in sunflower meal Germany
Aflatoxin B1 16,4; 25; 23; 39;13,4 & 63 (!) µg/kg (6 µg/kg) & Aflatoxins (total) 24; 20; 36; 45; 21,2 & 69 µg/kg (10 µg/kg) in dried figs (5) Turkey (6)
Aflatoxin B1 12 µg/kg (5 µg/kg), Aflatoxins (total) 12 µg/kg (10 µg/kg) in nutmeg Indonesia
Fumonisins  1.388 µg/kg in white corn flour  and 1.585 µg/kg (1000 µg/kg) in yellow corn flour  Ukraine, notified by Switzerland
Ochratoxin A 7 - 7,7 µg/kg (3 µg/kg) A in quinoa Italy
Ochratoxin A 110 µg/kg (15 µg/kg) A in nutmeg (2) Indonesia (2)
Ochratoxin A 47 µg/kg (8µg/kg) in sultanas Uzbekistan, via Germany
Ochratoxin A 7,95 µg/kg (3 µg/kg) in rice Pakistan, notified by Spain
Ochratoxin A 11,4 µg/kg (5µg/kg) in pistachio powder Spain
Ochratoxin A 12,6 µg/kg (8µg/kg) in sultanas Turkey
Ochratoxin A 40 µg/kg (8µg/kg) in dried figs Turkey
Ochratoxin A 3,9 µg/kg (3 µg/kg) in mulberries Turkey
Ochratoxin A 4,4 µg/kg (2,0 µg/kg) in dried apricots Turkey
Pesticides Chlorpyriphos +) 0,057 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in raisins China
Chlorpyriphos +) 0,018 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in raisins Iran via Turkey
Azinophos-methyl 1,08 mg/kg (!!!) (0,01 mg/kg) in crushed Capsicum India
2,4-D 0,74 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) & Paraquat +) 0,079 mg/kg (0,02 mg/kg) in chickpeas Argentina
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,034 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in rice India
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,012 mg/kg & from 0,062 mg/kg to 0,012 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in rice (2) Pakistan (2)
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,086 mg/kg (0,07 mg/kg) in dried mint Lebanon
Glufosinate +) 0,59 (!) mg/kg (0,03 mg/kg) in sweet pepper powder Spain
Captan 0,026 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Chlorate +) 0,04 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) & Fosetyl 0,60 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in baby food  Czech Republic
Phoxim 0,19 mg/kg (0,02 mg/kg) in sesame seed oil Japan, notified by Italy
Acetamiprid 1,1 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Carbendazim +) 0,41 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +)  0,094 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,15 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Hexaconazole +) 0,11 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Thiamethoxam 0,18 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Tolfenpyrad 0,066 (0,01) & Tricylazole +) 0,22 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in cumin seeds India, notified by Greece
Acetamiprid 0,18 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +)  0,031 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,55 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Dimethoate 0,35 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Famoxadone 0,2 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Fipronil +) 0,071 mg/kg (!) (0,005 mg/kg), Hexaconazole +) 0,4 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,27 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Iprobenfos +) 0,038 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Kresoxim-methyl 0,48 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) in cumin seeds India notfied by Poland
Acetamiprid 0,162 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Carbendazim +) 1,41 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +)  0,042 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg),  Fipronil +) 0,042 mg/kg (0,005 mg/kg), Hexaconazole +) 0,221 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,121 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg),  Kresoxim-methyl 0,184 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Picoxystrobin +) 0,358 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Thiamethoxam  0,162 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Tricylazole +) 0,72 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg)  in cumin India, notfied by Germany
Acetamiprid 0,56 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Azoxystrobin 1,6 mg/kg (0,3 mg/kg), Carbendazim +) 1,0 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg), Carbofuran 0,23 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +)  0,11 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,80 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Dinotefuran 0,23 mg/kg (!) 0,01 mg/kg), Fipronil +) 0,22 mg/kg (!!) (0,005 mg/kg), Hexaconazole +) 0,17 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,76 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) in ground cumin India, notfied by France
Acetamiprid 2,4 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Azoxystrobin 1,8 mg/kg (0,3 mg/kg), Benomyl/Carbendazim +) 3,9 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos+)  0,5 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,31 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Dinotefuran 0,033 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Famoxadone 0,29 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Flonicamide 0,67mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg), Fluxapyroxad 0,13 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,15 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) in cumin consignment India, notfied by Italy
Acetamiprid 0,27 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Azoxystrobin 0,94 mg/kg (0,3 mg/kg), Benomyl/Carbendazim +) 2,4 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos+)  0,061 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,23 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Hexaconazole +) 0,28 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Kresoxim-methyl 0,34 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Propiconazole 0,53 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Thiamethoxam 0,71 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) & Tricylazole +) 2 mg/kg (!!!) (0,01 mg/kg) in cumin consignment India, notfied by Italy
Acetamiprid 1,4 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Carbendazim +) 0,65 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg), Carbofuran 0,14 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos+) 0,027 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Clothianidin 0,78 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Flonicamid 0,14 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg),  Kresoxim-methyl 0,15 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Tebufenozide 0,12 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Thiamethoxam 1,3 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Thiophanate-methyl 0,46 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) and ethylene oxide in cumin seeds India, notified by France
Pentachlorophenol +) 0,033 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in guar gum India, notfied by Germany
Cypermethrin 1,9 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorfenapyr +) 14 mg/kg (!!!) (0,1 mg/kg), Emamectin 0,19 mg/kg (0,02 mg/kg) & Tolfenpyrad 4,5 mg/kg (!) (0,1 mg/kg) in whole celery tea Vietnam
Acetamprid 0,036 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,042 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) & Thiamethoxam 0,023 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) in rice  Pakistan
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,115 mg/kg  (!) (0,01 mg/kg)  in black cumin seeds India, notified by Poland
Acetamiprid 0,35 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorpyrifos +) 0,041 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Diafenthiuoron +) 3,3 mg/kg (!!!) (0,01 mg/kg). Dinotefuran 0,78 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg), Lambda-Cyhalopthrin 0,052 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Pyridaben 0,12 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) & Tolfenpyrad 0,17 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg) in tea China
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,024 - 0,04 mg/kg  (0,01 mg/kg)  in cinnamon Madagascar, notified by Spain
Chlorpyrifos +) 0,022 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg) Dinotefuran +) 0,075 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Tolfenpyrad +) 0,069 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg)  in black tea China, notified by Italy
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, Tropanalkaloids etc. Ergot sclerotia (ergotalkaloids > 0,2 mg/kg) in wheat  France
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids  & Atropin in tea India
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 3.749,3 µg/kg (1.000 µg/kg) in dried oregano Turkey
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 954,8 & 1.068 µg/kg (400 µg/kg) in ground cumin India
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 611 µg/kg (200 µg/kg) in St John's wort tea (Johanniskraut) Austria
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 1.743,4 µg/kg (400 µg/kg) in cumin Turkey
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids 541 µg/kg (75 µg/kg) in chamomile-fennel tea for infants and young children  Poland
Opium alkaloids 40 mg/kg (20 mg/kg) in blue poppy seeds Czech Republic
Opium alkaloids 208 mg/kg (!) (20 mg/kg) in blue poppy seeds Czech Republic, widely distributed
Opium alkaloids 3,6 mg/kg (1,5 mg/kg)  and mustard allergen in Burger bun France
Tropane alkaloids 19,1 µg/kg (5 µg/kg) in teff flour unknown, notified by Switzerland
Sudan dyes and other forbidden colorants +) Unauthorized color Sudan IV in palm oil  Guinea, notified by Belgium
Unauthorised colours Sudan I >2000 µg/kg and Sudan III 110 µg/kg in red Chilli powder Afghanistan
Unauthorized color Sudan I in curry Turkey
Unauthorized additives Sudan I and Sudan IV in curry powder Turkey
Leucomalachite green 0,85 µg/kg (!) (0,05 µg/kg) in  frozen fillet Clarias gariepinus Vietnam
Leucomalachite green 34,8 µg/kg (!) (0,05 µg/kg), malachite green 0,2 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) in fish  Vietnam
Leucomalachite green 1µg/kg (0,5 µg/kg) in fish Vietnam
Sulfites, SO2 E220 - sulfur dioxide 3.100 mg/kg (1.000 mg/kg) in dried apricots Turkey
Undeclared allergen sulfur dioxide (1.650 - 1.444 mg/kg) in dried apricots, declared as "unsulphured" Turkey
E220 - sulfur dioxide  3.302 & 4.001 mg/kg (1.000 mg/kg) in dried apricots Afghanistan
Undeclared sulfur dioxide (120 mg/kg) in dried organic shitake China

+) application is prohibited

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

 

Microbiological Hazards Product Origin
E.coli in clams with raw material from Italy Spain
in pacific oysters France
in mussels  Denmark
EHEC, STEC Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in organic pumpkin seeds  Poland
organic buckwheat flour, packaged in Croatia Slovenia, notfied by Austria
STEC in cheese (2) France (2)
E.Coli STEC in minced steaks  France
Listeria monocytogenes in sandwiches with bresaola, rocket and grana padano Italy
in pork salami Italy
in smoked catfish fillet  Germany
in cheese (2) France (2)
in eggs Netherlands
in salmon trout Poland
in salmon (3), up to 800 cfu/g Norway (1), Poland (2)
in smoked duck breast Belgium
in smoked salmon Lithuania
in sausage (2) Slovakia (1), Austria (1)
in Mozzarella salami Luxembourg
in gorgonzola Italy
in poultry sausage Germany
Salmonella in salami (2) Italy (2)
in fresh vacuum-packed tuna loin Sri Lanka
in raw egg white Netherlands
in eggs Poland (1), Syria (1)
in raw milk sheeps' cheeses Spain
Salmonella Anatum in frozen shelled clams  China, notified by Italy
in organic thyme-leaf sandwort Kosovo , via Austria & Germany
in salted herring fillet in oil Lithuania
in Tahini (5) India (1), Sudan (1), Syria (2),Turkey (1)
in smoked salmon trout Poland
in roasted cocoa beans Germany
in black pepper  Brazil
in walnut kernels (3) USA (3), notified by Germany
in ground melon seeds Nigeria, via Netherlands
in pumpkin seeds China  
in sesame seeds (5) India (2); Nigeria (3)
Staphylococcus spp. Staphylococcus spp. and Campylobacter jejuni in grilled chicken Netherlands
Yersinia Yersinia enterocolitica in raw milk goat cheese France

 

Other Hazards Origin
Allergens: Non declared allergens (crustaceans, fish, milk, molluscs) in rice with vegetables Belgium
Allergens: Gluten in baking mix for gluten-free pizza dough  Germany
Allergens: Unlabelled allergen soya and labelling deficiencies in firm raw sausage Poland
Allergens: Sesame not mentioned in pancake-mix Netherlands
Attempt of illegal import of products of animal origin into the EU(Meat, Meat Products, cheese, honey, eggs) Ukraine
White scallops from an area closed for amnesic toxins France
Foreign body (wood splinters) in organic protein bars Netherlands

 

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger