Last month we saw an increase of about 43% in food recalls reported in Europe, compared to January.
Country of Origin
India was the main origin of recalled products, mostly due to ethylene oxide. Italy, Germany and France come next, with a mix of ethylene oxide, pathogens and foreign bodies. The top 5 of origins closes with China, with most recalls happening due to food contact materials. For example, there was a case of migration of primary aromatic amines (PAA) from nylon spoons to food. Many PAA are toxic compounds and/or suspected human carcinogens. For that reason, there are specific migration limits that range between 0.002 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg of food products, depending on the specific PAA.
Type of product
High levels of pesticide residues were the main reason for recalling the top 3 products (cereal and bakery, nuts and fruits and vegetables). Other, more unusual reasons include incorrect passports for horses from the Netherlands and metal pieces in sausages from France (meat), as well as several unauthorised substances in dietetic foods.
Reason for Recall
About 31% of last month’s recalls were due to the ethylene oxide problem, which seems to be far from being solved.
Other reasons for recall include the presence of foreign bodies, which seem to be becoming more and more frequent (there were cases of fragments of metal, plastic and glass), and undeclared ingredients, such as gluten and peanut.
Country of Recall
As usual, Germany tops the list of countries with recall notifications in Europe with 22 notifications. Italy, Belgium and France and Denmark follow, with a mix of ethylene oxide, Salmonella in frozen food and undeclared sulfites.
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