RAPID alert SYSTEM FOR FOOD AND FEED
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Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an alert notification have been withdrawn or are in the process of being withdrawn from the market.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.
Week 2007/9
TABLE 1: alert NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.0152 | altered organoleptic characteristics of fresh beef | ARGENTINA |
| 26/02/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.0153 | benzo(a)pyrene in sesame oil | CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 27/02/2007 | Denmark | 2007.0154 | unauthorised establishment for poultry meat and poultry meat products | DENMARK |
| 27/02/2007 | Germany | 2007.0155 | unauthorised establishment for spiced minced meat preparation | GERMANY |
| 27/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.0156 | Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins in frozen scallops | FRANCE |
| 27/02/2007 | Germany | 2007.0157 | high content of iodine in sea algae | CHINA VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 27/02/2007 | Germany | 2007.0158 | high content of iodine in sea algae | CHINA VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 27/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.0159 | mercury in sliced swordfish | SPAIN |
| 27/02/2007 | Cyprus | 2007.0160 | plastic fragments in milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts | BELGIUM |
| 28/02/2007 | Estonia | 2007.0161 | unauthorised novel food ingredient noni in food supplement capsules | AUSTRIA |
| 28/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.0162 | Escherichia coli in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) | SLOVENIA |
| 28/02/2007 | France | 2007.0163 | Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp in live clams (Tapes semidecussatus) | ITALY |
| 01/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0164 | glass fragments in vegetarian green pesto sauce | THE UNITED KINGDOM |
| 01/03/2007 | Austria | 2007.0165 | Salmonella enteritidis in frozen skinless boneless chicken breast | BRAZIL VIA GERMANY |
| 01/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0166 | too high content of sulphite in frozen prawns (Nephrops norvegicus) | THE UNITED KINGDOM |
| 01/03/2007 | Belgium | 2007.0167 | Salmonella in dog chews | THAILAND |
| 02/03/2007 | Hungary | 2007.0168 | ochratoxin A in red paprika powder | SPAIN |
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: |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMF | chromium in kitchen utensils (3 pcs barbecue tools) | CHINA |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMG | chromium in knives for kitchen use | CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 26/02/2007 | France | 2007.AMH | Salmonella typhimurium in toasted extracted soya bean meal | BRAZIL |
| 26/02/2007 | Germany | 2007.AMI | unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl in red sweet peppers | SPAIN |
| 26/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.AMJ | Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins in razor clams (Solen marginatus) | MOROCCO |
| 26/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AMK | aflatoxins in nut product with pistachios (malban) | LEBANON |
| 26/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AML | aflatoxins in baklawa (with mixed nuts) | LEBANON |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMM | histamine in frozen yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) | THE SEYCHELLES |
| 26/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AMN | aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMO | aflatoxins in pistachio nuts | IRAN |
| 26/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AMP | unauthorised substance nitrofuran (metabolite) - furazolidone (AOZ) in black tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) | INDIA |
| 26/02/2007 | Hungary | 2007.AMQ | methomyl in peppers | SPAIN |
| 26/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMR | aflatoxins in pistachio nuts | IRAN |
| 27/02/2007 | Greece | 2007.AMS | aflatoxins in groundnut kernels | EGYPT |
| 27/02/2007 | Greece | 2007.AMT | aflatoxins in pistachio kernels | TURKEY |
| 27/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.AMU | illegal import of shellfish | GUINEA |
| 27/02/2007 | Germany | 2007.AMV | aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 27/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.AMW | carbon monoxide treatment of frozen tuna (Thunnus albacares) loins | PANAMA |
| 27/02/2007 | Hungary | 2007.AMX | cyprodinil and fludioxonil in strawberries | EGYPT |
| 27/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.AMY | too high content of E 452 - polyphosphates and E 284 - boric acid unauthorised in raw prawn tails | CHINA |
| 27/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AMZ | aflatoxins in melon crushed flour | NIGERIA |
| 27/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ANA | aflatoxins in oloyin beans | NIGERIA |
| 28/02/2007 | France | 2007.ANB | aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 28/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.ANC | procimidone in dried raisins | TURKEY |
| 28/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.AND | migration of BFDGE from cans containing mackerel and sardines in oil | MOROCCO |
| 28/02/2007 | Spain | 2007.ANE | too high content of sulphite in frozen shrimps (Parapenaeus spp.) | MOROCCO |
| 28/02/2007 | Greece | 2007.ANF | cadmium in canned squid in hot sauce | THAILAND |
| 28/02/2007 | Greece | 2007.ANG | aflatoxins in red chilli | PAKISTAN |
| 28/02/2007 | Greece | 2007.ANH | sulphur in vine leaves in brine | TURKEY |
| 28/02/2007 | Poland | 2007.ANI | lead in walnuts without shell | MOLDOVA |
| 28/02/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANJ | aflatoxins in almond flakes | THE UNITED STATES |
| 28/02/2007 | Italy | 2007.ANK | aflatoxins in roasted hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 28/02/2007 | Sweden | 2007.ANL | unauthorised genetically modified parboiled rice | THE UNITED STATES |
| 28/02/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ANM | unlabeled irradiation and irradiation in an unauthorised facility of dried thyme | TURKEY |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANN | aflatoxins in brown basmati rice | PAKISTAN |
| 01/03/2007 | Poland | 2007.ANO | faeces of rodents in fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum) | INDIA |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANP | aflatoxins in dried figs | TURKEY |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANQ | omethoate and dimethoate in cucumber | SURINAME |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANR | monocrotophos in okra | INDIA |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANS | methamidophos in aubergine | SURINAME |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANT | carbendazim in French bean / green bean | SURINAME |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANU | aflatoxins in peanuts | THE UNITED STATES |
| 01/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ANV | migration of chromium and of nickel from forks | CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 01/03/2007 | Sweden | 2007.ANW | omethoate in fresh coriander | THAILAND |
| 01/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ANX | aflatoxins in peanuts | THE UNITED STATES |
| 02/03/2007 | Poland | 2007.ANY | mould infestation of sunflower seed in husk | CHINA |
| 02/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ANZ | unauthorised colour Sudan 1 in chilli powder | TANZANIA |
| 02/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.AOA | unauthorised colour Sudan 1 in chilli crash | TANZANIA |
| 02/03/2007 | Poland | 2007.AOB | mould infestation of sunflower seeds in husk | CHINA |
TABLE 3: CORRIGENDA TO PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | REF.: | NOTIFI-CATION: | OF WEEK | CORRIGENDUM: |
| DATE: | REF.: | NOTIFI-CATION: | OF WEEK | CORRIGENDUM: |
| 26/02/2007 | add03 | 2007.0103 | 6 | From outcome of investigations of the Italian local health authority results that the product involved in the alert has been produced in Taiwan and not in Singapore |
| 27/02/2007 | inf01 | 2007.ALW | 8 | The manufacturer of the product is located in Hong Kong, therefore the origin is not China but Hong Kong |
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