Potential European fraud alerts decline in May

The latest report on possible frauds and other non-compliances raised by EU member states features treatment of mineral water, traceability problems, and olive oil issues.

The number of food and other fraud suspicions discussed by European countries declined in May. The 281 alerts are down from 341 in April, 345 in March, and 318 in February but are similar to the 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.

Summary of selected cases
In total, 89 notices mentioned fruit and vegetables. Dietetic foods, supplements, and fortified foods were in second place with 44 alerts, followed by cereals and bakery products with 24 notices. 

The majority of issues were uncovered through border inspections or market controls. A few were based on whistleblower information or detected because of food poisoning. In total, 24 were found after consumer complaints and 15 after company internal checks.

In May, ten alerts involved the United States. They included cheese sauce and coffee cream powder skipping border controls, L–theanine in energy drinks, titanium dioxide in candy, and ingredients in food supplements not authorized in Europe.

Product tampering adulteration cases covering all countries included sugar content in honey, mechanically separated meat in meat snacks, and Robusta beans in Arabica coffee.

Examples under unapproved process were water addition to wine, ultraviolet disinfection and activated carbon filtration in natural mineral water in France, ethylene oxide in a spice mix and chili powder, and Sudan I in adjika sauce.

Record tampering incidents included quality and mislabeling of olive oil, absence of caramel in milk caramels, and various health claims.

Some other issues listed were ingredients unfit for human consumption in pickled olives and peppers, the theft of 21 tons of cargo, including ham, the illegal import of sausages from Serbia and chocolate from Peru, and falsified export certification of raspberries and blueberries.

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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