Last July was a month to forget in Europe: the continent experienced the worst floods in decades, causing extensive devastation and killing more than 100 people. On the food side of things, recalls increased by 34% compared to June, for a total of 146 reported incidents.
Type of products recalled
Dietetic foods and supplements were the most recalled product type, with the main reason being Ethylene Oxide present in products like prickly pear capsules, breakfast dehydrated food and phytobiologicals.
Fruits and vegetables came second with 16 recalls, and food contact materials (FCMs) had 12 recall notifications, mostly due to migration of melamine, migration of primary aromatic amines and unauthorised use of bamboo.
The addition of ground bamboo to plastic FCMs has been a concern to the EU for some time, and last May, an Enforcement Action Plan was launched to ban plastic products which contain plant-based additives from entering the EU. Migration studies have demonstrated that bamboo-containing plastics leach melamine, a compound that has been associated with impacts on neurological functions, behavior, reproduction, and growth and that was also classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.
Country of Origin
Turkey came first on the podium as the country of origin of most recalled products. Issues included mould infestation, which affected products such as dough sheets and cheese dumplings, as well as ethylene oxide in locust bean gum, a gelling agent made from the seeds of the carob tree.
France and Germany came second and third, with 12 and 11 recalls, respectively.
It is important to note that the RASFF system did not provide the country of origin of 42 recall notifications.
Reasons for Recall
Unauthorised substances dominated the list of reasons for recall, with 66 notifications. The most common substances were Ethylene Oxide (a sterilizing agent) and Chlorpyrifos (a pesticide).
Other substances included Cannabidiol (CBD) in coffee and Carbendazim in green papayas from Czech republic.
Carbendazim is a controversial fungicide that is used in film and construction material preservatives. The substance is highly toxic to aquatic life and may cause damage to the unborn child.
Country of Recall
Most recall notifications (43) in July were issued by Germany, mostly due to mould infestation from Turkey, and ethylene oxide in food supplements.
Denmark and France follow with 18 recalls each, reasons including unauthorised substances chlorpyrifos and 2-chloroethanol in fruits, vegetables and ice cream, and the presence of Salmonella in chorizo and smoked raw ham.
See you next month for another food recall round-up! Meanwhile, don’t forget to follow SwissDeCode on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.