Ethylene oxide, Sudan dyes, and products skipping border controls are examples of recent possible frauds and other non-compliances raised by EU member states.

The number of food and other fraud suspicions discussed by European countries increased in July. The 325 alerts are up from 265 in June and 281 in May, similar to the 341 in April, 345 in March, and 318 in February. There were 277 in January.

The issues identified are potential frauds. Listed non-compliances may prompt investigations by authorities in EU member states. Details come from a monthly report published by the European Commission.

Data includes suspected cross-border fraud topics shared between members of the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN) and retrieved from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), Administrative Assistance and Cooperation Network (AAC) and the Agri-Food Fraud Network (FFN).

It covers food, animal feed, food contact materials, animal welfare for farmed animals, plant protection products, and veterinary medicine products that end up as residues and contaminants in food and feed.

The aims are to assist national authorities in setting up risk-based controls to combat fraudulent and deceptive practices, help the food sector with vulnerability assessments, and identify emerging risks.

A total of 86 notices mentioned fruit and vegetables, with the majority being non-compliant due to pesticide residues. Dietetic foods, supplements, and fortified foods ranked second with 51 alerts. Cereals and bakery products climbed to third, while herbs and spices dropped to fourth. 

The majority of issues were uncovered through border inspections or market controls. Three were based on whistleblower information, 17 were found after consumer complaints, and 21 were found after a company’s internal check.

Selection of issues raised

In July, nine alerts involved the United States. They included an unauthorized operator of fish oil capsules, sunset yellow in corn snacks, tartrazine in pickled cucumbers, and several cases of unauthorized ingredients in supplements, with 1.3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA) in one incident.

Product tampering cases included ascorbic acid in Spanish tuna, poultry DNA in Polish pork sausages, and ethylene oxide in Indian products.

Sudan dyes were reported in palm oil from Ghana, chili powder from Afghanistan, and curry from Turkey. The irradiation of herbal powder from Germany and chili powder from the Netherlands was also flagged.

Record tampering incidents featured organic claims and an absence of traceability on organic wine from Germany, misleading information on the origin of paprika powder from Spain, the quality of olive oil from Turkey, a non-compliant best-before date for frozen mechanically separated meat from the Netherlands, and a range of health claims.

Other issues raised were traceability defects of eggs from Poland, meat from a horse from Ireland unfit for consumption after slaughter due to Phenylbutazone, and movement of pig skins from an African Swine Fever restricted zone without a certificate and health marks in Romania.

Unregistered food supplement companies were identified in Slovenia and Poland, while unregistered products were sold online in Lithuania. An unauthorized ground (minced) meat firm was reported in Belgium. One alert covered olives from Egypt past their expiration date.

Three alerts were due to the transport temperature of various products from Romania and Albania and frozen meat from the Netherlands.

Several non-compliances mentioned ingredients not authorized in the EU and pesticides above the maximum residue limits (MRL). Other alerts were due to traceability concerns or products missing border controls.

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