2006, Volume X, Issue 2News From International AgenciesThe European Commission (EC) 2005 annual report on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), published June 30, 2006, revealed that the number of notifications received in 2005 rose by 22 percent compared to the previous year. A special system for enabling EU food safety officials to quickly alert all member states when unsafe levels of contaminants are detected in agricultural products, the RASFF ensures a prompt, effective response to any identified risks to the food chain. Products with mycotoxin levels that exceeded the legal limits were one of the main hazards noted in the EC’s report. The majority of such notifications (78 percent) involved products originating in third countries. More than one third of these reports concerned contaminated nuts and nut products. In 2005, 993 notifications ofmycotoxin-contaminated products were disseminated by the RASFF; 947 of these reports involved aflatoxins. More than half of the aflatoxin notices (498) concerned pistachio nuts, and 457 of these involved imports from Iran. Concerns over the high number of reports involving shipments from Iran prompted the EC to draft legislation imposing special conditions on the import of pistachios and certain products derived from pistachios originating in or consigned from Iran. The resulting Commission Decision 2005/85/EC went into effect on January 26, 2005. The EC annual report also notes regular reports of aflatoxins in peanuts and derived products (219) particularly those originating from China (79), Brazil (32), Argentina (22), and Ghana (14). Contaminated hazelnuts accounted for 64 notifications. Shipments from Turkey accounted for 53 of these, and 11 notices cited Azerbaijan imports. Almonds were the subject of 33 notifications; 28 of these concerned the United States. Aflatoxin levels above the EU maximum levels were also reported in a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Of the 48 reports of contaminated dried figs, 46 cited Turkish imports. Contaminated melon seeds accounted for 13 reports, 10 of which involved imports from Nigeria. High aflatoxin levels in chili, paprika, curry, and nutmeg from India, Turkey, and Pakistan prompted a total of 48 notifications. Other mycotoxins accounted for 50 additional notifications. The largest number of these involved ochratoxin A (42), followed by patulin (6) and fumonisins (2). The majority of ochratoxin A notifications concerned dried vine fruits (15), spices (13), coffee and coffee products (7), and cereals and cereal products (5). For more information, see: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/rapidalert/index_en.htm |