Food recalls in EU – Week 49/2015

Abstract:

This article is an extraction of data from the European Commission RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) and reports all the main food safety issues in the EU last week (divided by risk type and of notification).

Main Article:

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:

• Allergens: traces of lactoprotein (9.25 mg/kg – ppm) in coconut milk drink from Thailand, via the United Kingdom, following an official control on the market. Notified by Ireland.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria monocytogenes (detected/25g) in chilled smoked salmon from Denmark, following company’s own check. Notified by Denmark, distributed also to France, Germany, Italy and United Kingdom.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: Salmonella (in 5 out of 5/10g) in chilled minced meat preparation from Poland, following an official control on the market. Notified by Slovakia.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: Salmonella enteritidis (presence/25g) in frozen chicken breast fillets from Poland, following an official control on the market. Notified by Malta.

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

• Composition: unauthorised colour Sudan 4 (3.43 mg/kg – ppm) in red palm oil from Ghana, following an official control on the market. Notified by Italy.
• Pesticide residues: methamidophos (0.017 mg/kg – ppm) and omethoate (0.14 mg/kg – ppm) and unauthorised substance acephate (0.15 mg/kg – ppm)in chilled long green beans from Laos, following an official control on the market. Notified by Norway.

3. Alerts followed by a withdrawal from the market:

• FCM (Food Contact Materials): migration of cadmium (1.36 mg/kg – ppm) and of lead (15.0 mg/kg – ppm) from glass with print from China, via the Czech Republic, following an official control on the market. Notified by Poland, distributed also to Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia.
• Mycotoxins: aflatoxins (B1 = 12; Tot. = 29 µg/kg – ppb) in ground hazelnuts from Turkey, packaged in Austria, following an official control on the market. Notified by Austria, distributed also to Germany.
• Mycotoxins: aflatoxins (B1 = 68.1 µg/kg – ppb) in sunflower seeds (feed) from France, following company’s own check. Notified by Belgium, distributed also to Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
• Mycotoxins: ochratoxin A (14.4 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey, following an official control on the market. Notified by Germany, distributed also to Netherlands.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria monocytogenes (110 CFU/g) in chilled smoked salmon from Lithuania, following an official control on the market. Notified by Italy.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: Listeria monocytogenes (<10 CFU/g) in various meat (poultry and pork) products from France, following company’s own check. Notified by France, distributed also to Germany and Spain.
• Pathogenic micro-organisms: shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in raw milk cheese from France, following an official control on the market. Notified by Germany, distributed also to Belgium , Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

4. Seizures:

• Heavy metals: mercury (1.2 mg/kg – ppm) in frozen swordfish loins (Xiphias gladius) from Spain, following an official control on the market. Notified by Italy.

5. Border rejections:

• Absence of health certificate(s) for chilled okra from India
• Aflatoxins (B1 = 27.3 / Tot. = 36.8 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey
• Aflatoxins (B1 = 27.8; Tot. = 29.7 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran and (B1 = 40; Tot. = 47 µg/kg – ppb) from the United States
• Aflatoxins (B1 = 9.0; Tot. = 11 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina
• Bacterial contamination (9; 36; 27; 18; 36; 9; 18 CFU/g) of canned tuna in vegetable oil from Thailand
• Dead insects and excrements of insects in dried split ginger root from Nigeriainfested with moulds (81,76 %)
• Fosthiazate (0.101 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled sweet peppers from Turkey
• Mercury (0.61 mg/kg – ppm) in red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) from Tunisia
• Methomyl (0.13 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled strawberries from Egypt
• Propamocarb (0.055 mg/kg – ppm) and pyridalyl (0.064 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled strawberries from Egypt
• Salmonella (1 out of 5 samples /25g) in betel leaves from India
• Unauthorised use of colour E 124 – Ponceau 4R / cochineal red A (87 mg/kg – ppm) in custard powder from Colombia

 (Source: EU RASFF Portal)