The legal basis of the system is Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (O.J. No L 31 of 1 February 2002).
The purpose of the rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF) is to provide the control authorities with an effective tool for exchange of information on measures taken to ensure food safety.
To assist the members of the network, information is classified under two different headings :
• alert NOTIFICATIONS
alert notifications are sent when the food or feed presenting the risk is on the market and when immediate action is required. alerts are triggered by the Member State that detects the problem and has initiated the relevant measures, such as withdrawal/recall. The notification aims at giving all the members of the network the information to verify whether the concerned product is on their market, so that they also can take the necessary measures.
Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an alert notification have been withdrawn or are in the process of being withdrawn from the market. The Member States have their own mechanisms to carry out such actions, including the provision of detailed information through the media if necessary.
• INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS
Information notifications concern a food or feed for which a risk has been identified, but for which the other members of the network do not have to take immediate action, because the product has not reached their market. These notifications mostly concern food and feed consignments that have been tested and rejected at the external borders of the EU.
Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an information notification have not reached the market or that all necessary measures have already been taken.
The Commission publishes a weekly overview of alert and information notifications. As it is necessary to strike the balance between openness and the protection of commercial information, the trade names and the identity of individual companies are not published. This is not detrimental to consumer protection, as a RASFF notification implies that measures have been or are in the process of being taken.
The public must be aware that the Commission is not in a position to release more information other than that published here. However, in exceptional circumstances where the protection of human health requires greater transparency, the Commission takes the appropriate action through its usual communication channels.
The Commission informs the authorities of third countries of notifications concerning products manufactured in, distributed to or dispatched from these countries. However, the fact that a country is mentioned as the origin of a product does not necessarily imply that the identified hazard(s) originated in the country concerned.
TABLE 1: alert NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
| 19/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0205 | unauthorised use of colour E 102 - tartrazine in Chinese noodles | THAILAND VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 19/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0206 | mercury in swordfish | SPAIN |
| 20/03/2007 | the Commission Services | 2007.0208 | unknown hazard in wet cuts and gravy style cat food | THE UNITED STATES |
| 20/03/2007 | Luxembourg | 2007.0210 | tetracycline and colistin unauthorised in complete feed for piglets | FRANCE |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0211 | histamine in sardines in soya oil | MOROCCO VIA BELGIUM |
| 20/03/2007 | Belgium | 2007.0212 | unknown hazard in soft drink | GERMANY |
| 20/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0213 | mercury in frozen blue shark (Prionace glauca) | SPAIN |
| 20/03/2007 | Belgium | 2007.0214 | Salmonella Senftenberg in rape seed expeller | GERMANY |
| 20/03/2007 | Latvia | 2007.0215 | unauthorised placing on the market of and too high content of barium in natural mineral water | GEORGIA |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0216 | spoilage of rabbit rolls | ARGENTINA VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 21/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0217 | dead mouse in frozen turkey meat preparation | HUNGARY |
| 21/03/2007 | Slovenia | 2007.0218 | migration of formaldehyde from children's dish in the shape of a bear | CHINA |
| 21/03/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.0219 | unsuitable organoleptic characteristics and infestation with larvae of insects of pickled sausages in jars | GERMANY |
| 21/03/2007 | Slovenia | 2007.0220 | migration of chromium and of manganese from food slicer | CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 21/03/2007 | Norway | 2007.0221 | migration of primary aromatic amines from skimmer | CHINA VIA THE UNITED KINGDOM |
| 22/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0222 | Salmonella in veal-turkey döner stick | GERMANY |
| 22/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0223 | suspicion of histamine in fresh tuna | SRI LANKA VIA FRANCE |
| 22/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0224 | parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled fresh mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) | SPAIN |
| 22/03/2007 | Estonia | 2007.0225 | too high content of E 210 - benzoic acid and unauthorised use of colour E 122 - azorubine in multifruit marmalade | POLAND |
| 22/03/2007 | Cyprus | 2007.0226 | unauthorised genetically modified rice protein concentrate 60% and 65% | CHINA VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 23/03/2007 | the Slovak Republic | 2007.0227 | aflatoxins in long grain white rice | POLAND |
| 23/03/2007 | the Commission Services | 2007.0228 | dioxins in copper sulphate | CANADA |
| 23/03/2007 | France | 2007.0229 | Staphylococcal enterotoxin in chili con carne | FRANCE |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.0230 | undeclared milk ingredient in oats powdered drink | SPAIN |
| 23/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0231 | aflatoxins in peanut candy | INDIA |
| 23/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0232 | too high count of Escherichia coli in live mussels (Modiola barbata) and clams (Ruditapes philipinarum) | GREECE |
TABLE 2: INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
| 19/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ART | dimethoate in fresh kaki fruit | SPAIN |
| 19/03/2007 | Denmark | 2007.ARU | unauthorised placing on the market of thermogenic diet formula | THE UNITED STATES |
| 19/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARV | aflatoxins in pistachios without shell | SYRIA |
| 19/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ARW | aflatoxins in groundnuts | MOZAMBIQUE |
| 19/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ARX | aflatoxins in groundnuts | THE UNITED STATES |
| 19/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARY | migration of chromium and of nickel from kitchen and barbecue utensils | CHINA |
| 20/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARZ | bad state of preservation of artichoke | EGYPT |
| 20/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASA | unauthorised colour Sudan 4 in chilli powder | MALAYSIA |
| 20/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASB | unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl in red peppers | SPAIN |
| 20/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASC | unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl in yellow peppers | SPAIN |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASD | aflatoxins in raw pistachio nuts with shell | IRAN |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASE | aflatoxins in raw pistachio nuts with shell | IRAN |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASF | aflatoxins in raw pistachio nuts with shell | IRAN |
| 20/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASG | aflatoxins in mixed nuts | THE PHILIPPINES VIA SINGAPORE |
| 20/03/2007 | Malta | 2007.ASH | unauthorised novel food slimming product containing Hoodia gordonii | THE UNITED STATES |
| 20/03/2007 | Poland | 2007.ASI | altered organoleptic characteristics, abnormal smell and mould infestation of sunflower seeds in husk | CHINA |
| 20/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASJ | aflatoxins in roasted pistachio nuts | TURKEY |
| 20/03/2007 | Norway | 2007.ASK | migration of phthalate from lids of jars containing satay sauce | CHINA |
| 20/03/2007 | Slovenia | 2007.ASL | mould infestation of capeletti with vegetables stuffing | ITALY |
| 21/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASM | unauthorised substance nitrofuran (metabolite) - furazolidone (AOZ) in frozen black tiger shrimps (Penaeus monodon) | INDIA |
| 21/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASN | histamine in canned tuna in oil | INDonESIA |
| 21/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ASO | aflatoxins in paprika | MOROCCO |
| 21/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ASP | unauthorised substance nitrofuran (metabolite) - furazolidone (AOZ) in tropical prawns (Penaeus vannamei) | CHINA |
| 21/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASQ | unauthorised irradiation of ginseng powder capsules | CHINA |
| 21/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASR | unauthorised irradiation of herbal tea | CHINA |
| 21/03/2007 | Denmark | 2007.ASS | thermotolerant Campylobacter in whole fresh chicken | GERMANY |
| 21/03/2007 | Denmark | 2007.AST | thermotolerant Campylobacter in whole fresh chicken | FRANCE |
| 22/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASU | unauthorised irradiation of chewy rice vermicelli - original flavour | THAILAND VIA CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 22/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASV | aflatoxins in nougat with pistachio nuts | TURKEY |
| 22/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ASW | aflatoxins in roasted pistachio nuts | TURKEY |
| 22/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ASX | unauthorised irradiation of spicy curry flavour cup noodles | CHINA |
| 22/03/2007 | Norway | 2007.ASY | migration of DINP - di-isononyl phthalate from lid of jars containing chili pasta with holy basil leaves | THAILAND |
| 22/03/2007 | Norway | 2007.ASZ | migration of DIDP - diisodecyl phthalate from lid of jars containing red curry paste Bali kitchen | INDonESIA |
| 22/03/2007 | Bulgaria | 2007.ATA | aflatoxins in peanut kernels | THE GAMBIA |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATB | too high level of total migration from plastic lemon squeezer | UNKNOWN ORIGIN |
| 23/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.ATC | histamine in canned skipjack tuna chunks (Katsuwonus pelamis) | VIETNAM |
| 23/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ATD | mercury in chilled fresh grouper (Epinephelus) | ALGERIA |
| 23/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.ATE | aflatoxins in peanuts | CHINA |
| 23/03/2007 | Portugal | 2007.ATF | cadmium and mercury in frozen tuna | PANAMA |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATG | procymidone in dried sultana raisins | TURKEY |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATH | procymidone in dried sultana raisins | TURKEY |
| 23/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ATI | endosulfan in honeydew melon | COSTA RICA |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATJ | procymidone in dried sultana raisins | TURKEY |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATK | unauthorised use of colour E 171 - titanium dioxide in roasted chickpeas | TURKEY |
| 23/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ATL | unauthorised use of colour E 171 - titanium dioxide in roasted chickpeas | TURKEY |
TABLE 3: CORRIGENDA TO PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | REF.: | NOTIFI-CATION: | OF WEEK | CORRIGENDUM: |
| 23/03/2007 | inf01 | 2007.ALL | 8 | The notified product is used as a feed, not as a food. |
| 20/03/2007 | inf01 | 2007.APZ | 11 | The subject of the notification was corrected to "unauthorised genetic modification and unlabeled irradiation of instant rice noodles". |
