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Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an alert notification have been withdrawn or are in the process of being withdrawn from the market.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 inpidual 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 2007/14
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: |
|
02/04/2007 |
Italy |
2007.0248 |
parasitic infestation with Anisakis of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) |
SPAIN |
|
02/04/2007 |
Hungary |
2007.0249 |
carbendazim in strawberries |
MOROCCO VIA THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC |
|
03/04/2007 |
Spain |
2007.0250 |
too high content of E 284 - boric acid in frozen cooked velvet crabs |
IRELAND |
|
04/04/2007 |
Denmark |
2007.0251 |
Escherichia coli O26 in cured fermented beef sausage |
DENMARK |
|
04/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.0252 |
foreign body in frozen roasted potatoes |
THE UNITED KINGDOM |
|
05/04/2007 |
Belgium |
2007.0253 |
too high content of E 210 - benzoic acid in frozen cooked shrimps |
CHINA |
|
06/04/2007 |
Italy |
2007.0254 |
too high count of Escherichia coli in clams (Donax trunculus) |
GREECE |
|
06/04/2007 |
Belgium |
2007.0255 |
Salmonella spp in pet food |
THE UNITED STATES |
TABLE 2: INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
|
03/04/2007 |
Finland |
2007.AVY |
3-monochlor-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) in soy sauce |
VIETNAM |
|
03/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.AVZ |
erucic acid in satkara hot pickle |
BANGLADESH |
|
04/04/2007 |
the Netherlands |
2007.AWA |
aflatoxins in groundnut kernels |
ARGENTINA |
|
04/04/2007 |
the Netherlands |
2007.AWB |
aflatoxins in blanched peanut kernels |
CHINA |
|
04/04/2007 |
Italy |
2007.AWC |
migration of chromium from knives |
CHINA |
|
04/04/2007 |
Germany |
2007.AWD |
aflatoxins in pistachio kernels |
IRAN |
|
04/04/2007 |
Germany |
2007.AWE |
aflatoxins in pistachios in shell |
IRAN |
|
05/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.AWF |
Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis in roasted hot curry powder and mild curry powder |
INDIA |
|
05/04/2007 |
Greece |
2007.AWG |
arsenic in and unauthorised placing on the market of natural mineral water |
ARMENIA |
|
05/04/2007 |
Italy |
2007.AWH |
aflatoxins in hazelnut paste |
TURKEY |
|
05/04/2007 |
Hungary |
2007.AWI |
methomyl in peppers |
EGYPT |
|
06/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.AWJ |
aflatoxins in groundnuts for bird feed |
THE GAMBIA |
|
06/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.AWK |
aflatoxins in peanuts Bar-B-Q flavour coated |
THAILAND |
|
06/04/2007 |
the United Kingdom |
2007.AWL |
aflatoxins in coconut cream flavour coated peanuts |
THAILAND |
|
06/04/2007 |
Germany |
2007.AWM |
aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels |
TURKEY |
|
06/04/2007 |
Greece |
2007.AWN |
migration of DEHP - di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from plastic water canteen |
CHINA (HONG KONG) |
|
06/04/2007 |
Germany |
2007.AWO |
altered organoleptic characteristics of red wine |
SPAIN |
|
06/04/2007 |
Italy |
2007.AWP |
parasitic infestation with Anisakis of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) |
SPAIN |
TABLE 3: CORRIGENDA TO PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
|
DATE: |
REF.: |
NOTIFI-CATION: |
OF WEEK |
CORRIGENDUM: |
|
03/04/2007 |
inf02 |
2007.ANQ |
9 |
The product concerned by this notification is "bitter melon (sopropo)". |
|
03/04/2007 |
inf03 |
2007.0228 |
12 |
The Commission was informed by the Canadian authorities that the copper sulphate is of Chinese origin. |
TABLE 4: WITHDRAWALS OF PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
|
DATE: |
REF.: |
NOTIFI-CATION: |
OF WEEK |
REASON FOR WITHDRAWAL: |
|
02/04/2007 |
inf01 |
2006.0759 |
44 |
In view of the favourable analytical results of the product, the food poisoning outbreak could not be linked to the canned tuna. This notification is therefore withdrawn. |
