The latest report from the European Union sheds light on a range of potential frauds and other non-compliances within the food industry, including issues like adulteration, illegal horse slaughter, and products evading necessary checks.
According to the report, the number of alerts regarding suspected food and other frauds across European countries remained consistent in April. With 341 alerts, the figures mirror those of March, which saw 345 cases, indicating a stable trend. This number marks an increase from 318 in February and 277 in January.
It’s important to note that the issues highlighted in the report are potential frauds and are not yet confirmed. However, they serve as prompts for further investigations by authorities in EU member states. This data is sourced from the European Commission’s fourth monthly report.
The report draws data from various sources, including the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN), the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), the Administrative Assistance and Cooperation Network (AAC), and the Agri-Food Fraud Network (FFN). It encompasses a wide range of areas such as food, animal feed, food-contact materials, animal welfare, plant protection products, and veterinary medicines.
The primary objectives of this report are to aid national authorities in implementing risk-based controls to combat fraudulent practices, assist the food sector in vulnerability assessments, and identify emerging risks.
Highlighted Incidents
Fruit and vegetables were the most frequently mentioned items, with a total of 99 alerts, followed by dietetic foods, supplements, and fortified foods, which garnered 44 alerts. Cereals and bakery products came in third with 21 notices.
Most issues were uncovered during border inspections or market controls, although some were flagged through whistleblower information and media monitoring. Eighteen alerts stemmed from consumer complaints, while 27 were identified during internal company checks.
April saw 10 alerts involving the United States, citing instances like the presence of sunset yellow in snacks and titanium dioxide in confectionery. Product tampering cases included additives not compliant with EU regulations, such as sulfites in shrimp from Spain and Venezuela.
Adulteration examples ranged from oils in the Netherlands and Italy to water added to squid from China and ham from Italy, along with synthetic vanilla in Belgian ice cream.
Other incidents highlighted in the report encompassed unapproved processes, such as irradiation of a food supplement from Belgium and a reddening process applied to tuna from Spain. Additionally, traceability defects and illegal slaughter involving horses from several countries were noted.
The report also mentions non-compliances related to ingredients not authorized in the EU, pesticides exceeding maximum residue limits, and concerns regarding traceability and illegal imports.
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