EU fraud and non-compliance alerts rise in March

There was a slight rise in food fraud and other non-compliance cases discussed by European countries in March.

The number of notifications reported was 237 in March 2025, which is up from 214 in February but down from a record high of 345 in March 2024.

Issues listed are potential frauds. Non-compliance 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).

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.

A total of 81 notices mentioned fruits and vegetables, with the majority being non-compliant because of pesticide residues. Dietetic foods, food supplements, and fortified foods were second with 34 notices and cereal and bakery products was third with 13.

The majority of issues were uncovered through border inspections or market controls. On 26 occasions, the method of detection was a company’s internal check and 11 times it was a consumer complaint. One alert was detected because of food poisoning. Concerns were raised three times following whistleblower information.

Selected infringements
Six alerts involved the United States in March. They included benzoic acid in soft drinks, titanium dioxide and Cannabidiol (CBD) in sweets, and unauthorized ingredients in food supplements.

Product tampering cases included sodium nitrate in sausages from Bulgaria, mechanically separated meat (MSM) from Poland, and sulfur dioxide in turkey meat from Ireland.

Sudan 1 was found in chili powder from China while Sudan 3 was detected in paprika powder. Sudan dyes were also present in red pepper powder from Syria.

Record tampering incidents ranged from the quality of olive oil from Turkey, ground meat or MSM from the Netherlands, forgery of organic certification documents on products from Germany, to the absence of commercial documents with pork tenderloins from Hungary.

A notification involved Ireland and one horse that was presented at a slaughterhouse with falsified medical records.

There was an unauthorized operator and unsuitable transport conditions of poultry meat in Poland. In Germany, an alert was raised about an unregistered company dealing with dates and in Latvia there was an unauthorized operator for caviar and fish. There was a case of products of animal origin labeled as products of non-animal origin from Thailand.

In the Netherlands, 145 sheep destined for slaughter did not arrive at the slaughterhouse and in Hungary 200 pigs were not delivered to their destination.

Several non-compliances mentioned ingredients not authorized in the EU, traceability defects, items skipping border controls, and pesticides above the maximum residue limits (MRL). 

Food-related inventions
In other news, the European Patent Office has unveiled a list of 10 innovators nominated for the 2025 Young Inventors Prize.

Pilar Granado, Pablo Sosa Domínguez, and Luis Chimeno from Spain were recognized for their smart labels for food and Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita from Uganda for their sachets to extend the shelf life of fruit.

The Spanish team developed biodegradable labels to monitor food freshness in real-time. By detecting bacterial growth, the labels offer a solution to help prevent food poisoning and reduce food waste. The technology uses intelligent indicators (molecules) inside the label. As bacteria multiply, they generate compounds that interact with the indicator on the label, causing it to gradually change color.

The Ugandan team created sachets to help smallholder farmers and retailers cut waste, while making fresh produce more widely available. Sachets are placed in fruit boxes during storage or transport, where they release a blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds work to inhibit ethylene production, which slows down ripening. Pilot tests with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization showed that mangoes stored with the sachets remained fresh for 33 days, while those without them lasted only 11 days. 

Three prizes will be awarded to outstanding initiatives, and the public can vote online for the People’s Choice winner which will be revealed during a ceremony in Iceland on June 18.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/05/eu-fraud-and-non-compliance-alerts-rise-in-march/