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Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an alert notification have been withdrawn or are in the process of being withdrawn from the market.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 (and the EEA1).
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 1 European Economic Area mentioned as the origin of a product does not necessarily imply that the identified hazard(s) originated in the country concerned.
The notifications reported in the weekly overviews published on the European Commission's web site are so-called "original notifications", representing a new case reported on a health risk detected in one or more consignments of a food or feed. On these cases, control authorities are exchanging additional information on measures taken and outcome of investigations. This information does not appear in the publicly accessible weekly overviews.
Newly added columns are the "type of control" and "status" columns.
The type of control column indicates what type of control lay at the basis of the notification:
border control – import rejected: controls at the border posts of the outer EU (and EEA.) borders when the consignment was not accepted for import (“import rejected”);
The status column is a combination of two values, "distribution status" and "action taken".
The distribution status indicates knowledge existing at the time of notification about the possible distribution of the product on the market. The concept "market" is to be interpreted in a geographical way: "the internal Community market" i.e. this does not necessarily mean that the product is already on the shelves available to consumers, as often it is not.
The action taken represents the action already taken by the notifying country at the time of notification. If "no action taken" is given for an alert notification, this normally indicates that the product is not on the market of the notifying country (therefore: no action taken by the notifying country) but it may be on the market of other member countries.
Another addition to the table is the insertion between brackets of the outcome of the analysis to the "reason for notifying" column, whenever that information is available. This information allows evaluating the seriousness of the notified finding.
Week 2007/19 TABLE 1: alert NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | TYPE OF CONTROL: | STATUS |
| 07/05/2007 | Belgium | 2007.0307 | lime and orange sports drink from Austria with defective packaging (defective cap closure - formation of moulds) | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from sale |
| 07/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.0308 | benzo(a)pyrene (in fish: 4.4; in oil 21.5 μg/kg - ppb) in smoked sprats in oil from Latvia | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / product (to be) returned to dispatcher |
| 07/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.0309 | unauthorised placing on the market of herbal infusion containing Senna (Cassia angustifolia) from the Netherlands | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from sale |
| 07/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.0310 | unauthorised placing on the market of herbal infusion containing Senna (Cassia angustifolia) from the Netherlands | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from sale |
| 07/05/2007 | the Slovak Republic | 2007.0311 | unsuitable organoleptic characteristics (bitter taste) of ground poppy seeds from Poland | consumer complaint | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from sale |
| 07/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.0312 | anchovy fillets in olive oil in jars from Italy infested with insects (mosquito) | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / product recall |
| 07/05/2007 | Finland | 2007.0313 | benzo(a)pyrene (4.1 μg/kg -ppb) in garlic oil capsules from the United Kingdom | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from recipients |
| 07/05/2007 | Norway | 2007.0314 | cadmium (16; 13.4; 12.1 mg/kg - ppm) in zinc sulphate 35% from Germany, raw material from China | company's own check | distribution on the market (possible) / product seized |
| 07/05/2007 | the Slovak Republic | 2007.0315 | fragments of bones of land animals in fishmeal from France via the Czech Republic | company's own check | distribution on the market (possible) / product (to be) returned to dispatcher |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.0317 | dioxins (76.5; 36 pg WHO TEQ/g) in cod liver in oil from Poland via Estonia | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from recipients |
| 08/05/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.0318 | oxamyl (0.57 mg/kg - ppm) in organic cucumber from Egypt | market control | distribution on the market (possible) |
| 09/05/2007 | Sweden | 2007.0319 | glass fragments in marinated herring in glass jars from Finland | company's own check | distribution on the market (possible) / product recall |
| 09/05/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.0320 | mercury (1.55 mg/kg - ppm) in frozen swordfish steaks from Namibia | border control - screening sample | distribution on the market (possible) / destination of the product identified |
| 10/05/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.0321 | too high content of sulphite (226 mg/kg - ppm) and undeclared sulphite in pickled chopped cabbage (sauerkraut) from Poland | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from recipients |
| 10/05/2007 | Denmark | 2007.0322 | Salmonella Dublin (1 out of 12 samples) in fresh beef from Germany | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from recipients |
| 10/05/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.0323 | unauthorised substance sildenafil in food supplement from the Slovak Republic | market control | distribution on the market (possible) / withdrawal from recipients |
TABLE 2: INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | TYPE OF CONTROL: | STATUS |
| 07/05/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.BCN | Enterobacter sakazakii in soy baby formula from Uganda | market control | information on distribution not (yet) available / withdrawal from sale |
| 07/05/2007 | Portugal | 2007.BCO | aflatoxins (B1 = 16.6; Tot. = 21.8 μg/kg - ppb) in groundnuts in shell from China | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 07/05/2007 | Malta | 2007.BCP | unauthorised novel food slimming product containing Hoodia gordonii from the United States | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product detained |
| 07/05/2007 | Malta | 2007.BCQ | unauthorised novel food slimming product containing Hoodia gordonii from India | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product detained |
| 07/05/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.BCR | unauthorised genetically modified (DAS 59122 maize) maize gluten pellets from the United States | market control | distribution restricted to notifying country / product recall |
| 07/05/2007 | Malta | 2007.BCS | unauthorised novel food slimming product containing Hoodia gordonii from the United States | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product detained |
| 08/05/2007 | Greece | 2007.BCT | unauthorised colour Rhodamine B (62 mg/kg - ppm) in vegetable pickles from Syria | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BCU | aflatoxins (B1 = 474.1; Tot. = 47.3 / B1 < 0.2; Tot. = 0.2 / B1 = 0.2; Tot. = 0.2 μg/kg - ppb) in pistachio nuts in shell from Iran | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Malta | 2007.BCV | bad temperature control (rupture of the cold chain) (physical check) of fresh fish (various species) from Senegal | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) destroyed |
| 08/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BCW | aflatoxins (B1 = 0.9; Tot. = 3.4 / B1 = 2.4; Tot. = 8.4 μg/kg - ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Turkey via Germany | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BCX | oxamyl (0.27 mg/kg -ppm) and unauthorised substance 4-CPA (0.33 mg/kg - ppm) in courgettes from Turkey | market control | no stock left / reinforced checking |
| 08/05/2007 | Denmark | 2007.BCY | Salmonella typhimurium DT 193 multiresistant (presence in 5/12 samples) in turkey inner fillet from Germany | market control | product expired (exceeded use-by date) / product recall |
| 08/05/2007 | Portugal | 2007.BCZ | unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl (0.09 mg/kg - ppm) in red peppers from Spain | market control | no stock left |
| 08/05/2007 | Poland | 2007.BDA | sunflower seeds from Ukraine infested with insects | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDB | aflatoxins (B1 = 6; Tot. = 6.2 μg/kg - ppb) in pistachio nuts in shell from Iran | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDC | aflatoxins (B1 = 15.6; Tot. = 18.1 μg/kg - ppb) in pistachio nuts in shell from Iran | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 08/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDD | aflatoxins (B1 = 4.5; Tot. = 5,0 / B1 = 19.0; Tot. = 22.9 / B1 = 11.7; Tot. = 15.3 μg/kg - ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from Argentina | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 10/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDE | unauthorised genetically modified (LL-RICE 601) parboiled long grain rice from the United States | market control | distribution restricted to notifying country / withdrawal from recipients |
| 10/05/2007 | Austria | 2007.BDF | Salmonella (omnivalent) in frozen chicken breast fillets, raw material from Brazil, processed in Romania | market control | distribution restricted to notifying country / product recall |
| 10/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BDG | unauthorised genetically modified (BT 63) rice dumpling from China | market control | information on distribution not (yet) available / product seized |
| 10/05/2007 | Poland | 2007.BDH | bovine protein in salted hog casings from Egypt | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 10/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BDI | mercury (1.3 mg/kg - ppm) in swordfish (Xiphias gladius) from Spain | market control | product expired (exceeded use-by date) / product detained |
| 10/05/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.BDJ | aflatoxins (B1 = 19.0; Tot. = 22.3 μg/kg - ppb) in almonds from the United States | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 10/05/2007 | Sweden | 2007.BDK | methomyl (0.71 mg/kg - ppm) in table grapes from Chile | market control | no stock left |
| 10/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BDL | aflatoxins (B1 = 7.3; Tot. = 12.5 μg/kg - ppb) in crunchy peanuts from Turkey | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 10/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BDM | migration of chromium (4.90 mg/l) from various pieces of cutlery from China | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 10/05/2007 | Italy | 2007.BDN | migration of chromium (0.30; 0.10 mg/l) from stainless steel barbecue set (coal shovel and skewer) from China | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 11/05/2007 | Spain | 2007.BDO | too high content of sulphite (189.71; 163.96; 305.67 mg/kg - ppm) in frozen shrimps (Penaeus vannamei) from Panama | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 11/05/2007 | Spain | 2007.BDP | unauthorised substances streptomycin (179 μg/kg - ppb) and tylosin (0.7 μg/kg -ppb) in honey from China | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 11/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDQ | aflatoxins (B1 = 0.57; Tot. = 0.57 / B1 = 12.08; Tot. = 14.55 μg/kg - ppb) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from Turkey | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 11/05/2007 | Germany | 2007.BDR | aflatoxins (B1 = 8.4; Tot. = 17.4 / B1 = 3.7; Tot. = 4.3 / B1 = 7.2; Tot. = 8.0 μg/kg - ppb) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from Turkey | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
| 11/05/2007 | Hungary | 2007.BDS | aflatoxins (B1 = 8.32; Tot. = 17.4 μg/kg - ppb) and ochratoxin A (23.47 μg/kg -ppb) in sweet paprika powder from Spain | company's own check | distribution restricted to notifying country / prohibition to trade - sales ban |
| 11/05/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.BDT | aflatoxins (B1 = 20; Tot. = 25 μg/kg - ppb) in mixture containing nuts from India | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) destroyed |
| 11/05/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.BDU | aflatoxins (B1 = 310; Tot. = 370 μg/kg - ppb) in nut crackers from India | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) destroyed |
| 11/05/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.BDV | histamine (120; 430; 60; 150; 150; 1020; 460; 220; 110; 180 mg/kg - ppm) in dried anchovy from Malaysia | border control - screening sample | distribution restricted to notifying country / withdrawal from recipients |
| 11/05/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.BDW | aflatoxins (B1 = 8.7; Tot. = 9.9 / B1 = 6.3; Tot. = 7.3 / B1 = 92; Tot. = 102 μg/kg - ppb) in blanched almonds from the United States | border control - import rejected | no distribution / product (to be) re-dispatched |
TABLE 4: WITHDRAWALS OF PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | REF.: | NOTIFI- CATION: | OF WEEK | SUBJECT | REASON FOR WITHDRAWAL: |
| 10/05/2007 | add01 | 2007.ATF | 12 | cadmium and mercury in frozen tuna from Panama | Following favourable results for the counter analysis on cadmium and taking into account that the mercury levels did not exceed the legal limit, this notification is withdrawn. |
日期：2007-05-16