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Consumers can be reassured that products subject to an alert notification have been withdrawn or are in the process of being withdrawn from the market.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.
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 mentioned as the origin of a product does not necessarily imply that the identified hazard(s) originated in the country concerned.
Week 2007/11 Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
TABLE 1: ALERT NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/03/2007 | Norway | 2007.0187 | migration of primary aromatic amines from ladle | TAIWAN |
| 12/03/2007 | Ireland | 2007.0188 | arsenic in natural mineral water | LITHUANIA |
| 13/03/2007 | France | 2007.0189 | histamine in tuna steak (Thunnus albacares) | SPAIN |
| 13/03/2007 | Sweden | 2007.0190 | oxamyl in beans (with pods) | SPAIN |
| 14/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0191 | rodent tail in cereal bar | THE NETHERLANDS |
| 15/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0192 | unauthorised use of colour E 102 - tartrazine in noodles | VIETNAM VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 15/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0193 | unauthorised use of colour E 127 - erythrosine in confectionery | THAILAND |
| 15/03/2007 | Sweden | 2007.0194 | oxamyl in courgettes | SPAIN VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 15/03/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.0195 | too high content of E 452 - polyphosphates in deep-frozen, glazed Alaska pollock fillet (Theragra chalcogramma) | CHINA VIA POLAND |
| 15/03/2007 | Latvia | 2007.0196 | cadmium in zinc sulphate | VIA POLAND |
| 15/03/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.0197 | aflatoxins in salted pistachio nuts in shell | IRAN VIA THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC |
| 16/03/2007 | Denmark | 2007.0198 | sell by date exceeded of fish and fish products | DENMARK |
| 16/03/2007 | Austria | 2007.0199 | Salmonella spp in chicken döner | GERMANY |
| 16/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0200 | deterioration of rabbit fillet | THE NETHERLANDS |
| 16/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0201 | erucic acid in chilli black bean sauce | CHINA VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 16/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.0202 | aflatoxins in pistachios | THE UNITED STATES VIA THE NETHERLANDS |
| 16/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.0203 | parasitic infestation with Anisakis of fresh mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) | SPAIN |
| 16/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.0204 | Salmonella spp in tahini | GREECE |
TABLE 2: INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS Notifications in blue typeface concern feed, all other notifications concern food.
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.APV | aflatoxins in groundnuts | ARGENTINA |
| 12/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.APW | aflatoxins in dried nuts product (bonita) | SINGAPORE |
| 12/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.APX | unauthorised substance lincomycin in honey | CHINA |
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.APY | aflatoxins in dried nuts product (cubanita) | SINGAPORE |
| 12/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.APZ | unauthorised genetic modification and unlabeled irradiation of instant rice noodles | UNKNOWN ORIGIN |
| 12/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQA | illegal import of and absence of health certificate(s) for various food products | VIETNAM |
| 13/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.AQB | arsenic in dried seaweed | JAPAN |
| 13/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.AQC | aflatoxins in dried figs | TURKEY |
| 13/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQD | ochratoxin A in raw coffee | HAITI VIA BELGIUM |
| 13/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQE | parasitic infestation with Anisakis of fresh mackerel | SPAIN |
| 13/03/2007 | Poland | 2007.AQF | hymexazol in unhusked rice | UKRAINE |
| 13/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.AQG | aflatoxins in raw pistachio nuts with shell | IRAN |
| 13/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQH | too high content of E 210 - benzoic acid in soft drink | NIGERIA |
| 13/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.AQI | aflatoxins in raw pistachio nuts with shell | IRAN |
| 13/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQJ | too high content of E 210 - benzoic acid in soft drink | NIGERIA |
| 13/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQK | too high content of E 210 - benzoic acid in soft drink | NIGERIA |
| 13/03/2007 | France | 2007.AQL | sulphite unauthorised and unauthorised colours Sudan 1 and Sudan 4 in spice mixture | SYRIA |
| 14/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQM | aflatoxins in sliced sour oranges | IRAN |
| 14/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQN | aflatoxins in pistachio nuts | IRAN |
| 14/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQO | aflatoxins in bitter apricot kernels | IRAN |
| 14/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQP | aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 14/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQQ | aflatoxins in hazelnut kernels | TURKEY |
| 14/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.AQR | aflatoxins in pistachios | IRAN |
| 14/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.AQS | unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl in fresh sweet peppers | SPAIN |
| 14/03/2007 | Portugal | 2007.AQT | cadmium in whole frozen cuttlefish | INDIA |
| 14/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.AQU | Salmonella in canteloupe melon | COSTA RICA |
| 14/03/2007 | Cyprus | 2007.AQV | chlorpropham in baby food | THE UNITED STATES |
| 15/03/2007 | Malta | 2007.AQW | undeclared wheat in various cakes | TURKEY |
| 15/03/2007 | Malta | 2007.AQX | undeclared wheat in biscuits | TURKEY |
| 15/03/2007 | the Czech Republic | 2007.AQY | mould infestation of hazelnut kernels | GEORGIA |
| 15/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.AQZ | too high content of sulphite in frozen crabs and prawn tails | ANGOLA |
| 15/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ARA | unauthorised colour Sudan 1 in chilli powder | EGYPT |
| 15/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ARB | oxamyl and unauthorised substance isofenphos-methyl in red sweet peppers | SPAIN |
| 15/03/2007 | Germany | 2007.ARC | unauthorised genetically modified papaya | THE UNITED STATES |
| 15/03/2007 | the Netherlands | 2007.ARD | yeast infestation of orange juice | THE NETHERLANDS |
| 15/03/2007 | the United Kingdom | 2007.ARE | unauthorised and unlabeled irradiation of dried rice stick | THAILAND VIA CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 15/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.ARF | aflatoxins in almonds | THE UNITED STATES |
| 15/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.ARG | aflatoxins in blanched groundnut kernels | CHINA |
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARH | aflatoxins in walnuts with shell (Bertoteilla excelsa) | BRAZIL |
| 15/03/2007 | Slovenia | 2007.ARI | migration of nickel and of manganese from egg whisk | CHINA |
| DATE: | NOTIFIED BY: | REF.: | REASON FOR NOTIFYING: | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARJ | aflatoxins in shelled almonds | THE UNITED STATES VIA CHINA (HONG KONG) |
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARK | aflatoxins in pistachio nuts | TURKEY |
| 15/03/2007 | Denmark | 2007.ARL | unauthorised nutrients in food supplements | THE SEYCHELLES |
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARM | aflatoxins in pistachios | IRAN |
| 15/03/2007 | France | 2007.ARN | shrimp sauce with defective packaging | THAILAND |
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARO | Listeria monocytogenes in anchovy fillets in olive oil | ALBANIA |
| 15/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARP | Salmonella in sesame seed | SENEGAL |
| 16/03/2007 | Italy | 2007.ARQ | fumonisins in gluten free maize | ITALY |
| 16/03/2007 | Spain | 2007.ARR | too high content of sulphite in frozen crabs and prawn tails | ANGOLA |
| 16/03/2007 | Greece | 2007.ARS | aflatoxins in groundnut kernels | CHINA |
TABLE 3: CORRIGENDA TO PREVIOUS NOTIFICATIONS
| DATE: | REF.: | NOTIFICATION: | OF WEEK | CORRIGENDUM: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/03/2007 | inf01 | 2007.0173 | 10 | The country of origin is the Netherlands and not Germany. |
