The European Commission’s 2024 Annual Report on the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN) provides comprehensive insights into food safety monitoring across the European Union. This report details significant developments in notification patterns, emerging risks, and collaborative efforts to address food safety concerns throughout 2024.
Key findings and trends
The report indicates an 8% increase in total ACN notifications compared to 2023, reaching 9,460 reports across all networks. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) experienced the most substantial growth with a 12% increase to 5,250 notifications. Notably:
- Plant Health (PH) notifications almost tripled in number, while
- Agri-Food Fraud (FF) notifications decline by approximately one-third
- Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy emerged as the top notifying countries in 2024
- border rejections remained consistent at approximately one-third of all RASFF notifications, primarily involving pesticide residues in fruit and vegetable imports.
Innovation in food safety systems
Under the leadership of Director General Sandra Gallina, the Commission launched two new networks through the iRASFF system in 2024: the Animal Welfare Network and the Pet Animals Network. These networks aim to enhance communication between authorities in the agri-food sector and ensure better implementation of EU legislation.
A significant technological advancement was the development of TraceMap, an AI-driven tool embedded within the Information Management System for Official Controls. This system:
- enhances the processing of large datasets, integrating over 10,000 ACN notifications and 4 million TRACES documents annually
- automates information extraction from unstructured data and identifies connections between alerts, operators, and patterns, facilitating more efficient investigations of food safety incidents and food fraud.
Fraud suspicions and monitoring
In 2024, the Commission identified 1,335 AAC (Administrative Assistance and Cooperation) and 1,959 RASFF (Rapid Alert System on Food and Feed) notifications as potentially resulting from intentional behaviour, representing increases of 24% and 21% respectively compared to 2023.
A new categorisation system for agri-food fraud suspicions was implemented, based on European Committee of Normalisation and Codex Committee standards, dividing fraud into three main types: product tampering, record tampering, and other non-compliances.
The Commission now publishes monthly reports on suspected agri-food fraud to support risk-based controls and help food businesses assess vulnerabilities to fraudulent practices.
Detailed analysis by food category
Fruits and vegetables (16%)
Fruits and vegetables represented 16% of notifications (1,479), making it the most reported product group. Pesticide residues remained the primary concern, particularly in citrus fruits, dried fruits, and peppers, with chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, and dimethoate being the most commonly detected substances. Vine leaves were frequently flagged for containing more than 10 different pesticide residues.
Products from non-EU countries accounted for 84% of notifications, with Turkey and Egypt being the most frequently reported origins.
Meat and meat products (10%)
Meat and meat products accounted for 10% of notifications (932). Microbiological hazards, particularly Salmonella in poultry and STEC in beef, represented almost half of these reports. Other issues included chemical contaminants, veterinary medicine residues, and unauthorised additives.
The report highlighted ongoing concerns with horse meat traceability, noting documentation errors and illegal reintroduction of horses excluded from the food chain.
Nuts and nut products (7%)
Nuts and nut products accounted for 7% of notifications (657), with 91% involving potential health risks. Aflatoxins in groundnuts and pistachios represented the most significant concern. Salmonella was commonly detected in sesame seeds, along with issues related to absent or improper health certificates.
Turkey, Egypt, and the United States were the most frequently implicated countries of origin.
Dietary foods, food supplements and fortified foods (7%)
Dietary foods, food supplements and fortified foods, representing 7% of notifications (642), had 70% of cases flagged as potential fraud, primarily associated with online sales. The most common issues included unauthorised ingredients like sildenafil, yohimbine, and tongkat ali in supplements marketed for weight loss or sexual enhancement. Titanium dioxide (E171), banned in the EU since February 2022, was repeatedly detected.
Misleading claims about health benefits remained problematic, with unsubstantiated statements potentially leading consumers to use ineffective or harmful products.
Cereals and bakery products (6%)
Cereals and bakery products represented 6% of notifications (562), with rice being the most frequently reported product (45%). The primary concerns were pesticide residues exceeding EU maximum limits, particularly in basmati rice, followed by mislabelling issues and mycotoxin contamination.
Pakistan and India were the main sources of non-compliant rice products, though several cases also involved products from within the EU.
Feed (5%)
Feed products accounted for 5% of notifications (494), with microorganisms (particularly Salmonella) and pesticide residues being the primary concerns. A notable incident involved dog chews imported from China suspected of causing neurological symptoms in dogs across multiple European countries.
Fishery products (4%)
Fishery products accounted for 4% of notifications (388), with tuna products (40%) being most frequently affected.
Key issues included microbiological contaminants, heavy metals, and temperature control failures during transport and storage. Elevated histamine levels in tuna and mercury in swordfish were common specific concerns.
Herbs and spices (4%)
Herbs and spices, accounting for 4% of notifications (392), saw oregano and cumin frequently implicated in safety concerns. High levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in oregano and multiple pesticide residues in cumin were common issues, with one case involving 18 different pesticides in a single sample.
Fraud suspicions included unauthorised colorants (Sudan dyes, Orange II, Rhodamine B), undeclared additives, and unapproved plant materials.
Fats and oils (3%)
Fats and oils, comprising 3% of notifications (265), had fewer health risk concerns (17%) but significant issues with non-conformities in quality and labelling (83%). Olive oil remained highly vulnerable to fraud, with issues related to misclassification, misrepresentation, and adulteration. In 2024, EU Member States issued 130 notifications on olive oil, with 15% qualifying as cross-border fraud.
Food contact materials (3%)
This category represented 3% of notifications (257), with 70% involving potential health risks. Half of the reported issues concerned migration hazards from materials like melamine tableware, with primary aromatic amines, phthalates, and formaldehyde being the most commonly detected substances.
Most non-compliances originated from non-EU countries, with China accounting for approximately 52% of all cases.
Milk and milk products (3%)
Representing 3% of notifications (245), this category saw Listeria monocytogenes as the predominant concern (67% of microbiological contamination cases), especially in cheeses. A notable case involved Yersinia enterocolitica in raw milk goat’s cheese from France, which affected consumers in multiple countries.
Products from France, Italy, and the Netherlands were most frequently implicated.
Confectionery products (3%)
Representing 3% of notifications (225), this category had gummies as the most reported product type (30%). Common issues included the presence of cannabinoids (THC and CBD), unauthorised additives like titanium dioxide (E171), and excessive levels of colorants.
Honey (0.5%)
The honey sector reveals a striking disparity between scrutiny and actual findings. Despite representing only 0.5% of notifications (52), honey underwent 4,813 controls across 10,392 EU operators in 2022. This extremely low non-compliance rate (0.5%) fundamentally contradicts the Commission’s narrative of widespread honey fraud, particularly regarding dilution with extraneous sugars.
This inconsistency aligns with criticisms of the Commission’s ambiguous reporting on non-EU honey imports, which has been challenged for methodological flaws and creating unwarranted market disruptions. The gap between intensive control efforts and minimal findings suggests a misallocation of regulatory resources that could be better directed toward higher-risk categories.
New networks introduced in 2024
Pet animals network
Launched in October 2024, this network addressed the 483 notifications related to cats and dogs submitted during the year. Most violations involved missing or forged documentation, with 78% of cases classified as illegal commercial activity. Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands recorded the highest number of notifications.
Animal welfare network
Also launched in October 2024, the animal welfare network aims to improve cooperation among Member States regarding animal welfare throughout the animal life cycle. However, this belated initiative arrives amid widespread criticism over the Commission’s failure to deliver meaningful animal welfare reform. As highlighted in a high-profile open letter from civil society organisations, the Commission has repeatedly postponed essential legislative actions while millions of animals continue to suffer under outdated protection standards.
The network’s establishment — with minimal activity in its first months — appears to be a modest procedural step that fails to address substantial regulatory gaps. Most concerning is that this initiative emerged without the comprehensive reform framework repeatedly promised since 2020, raising questions about whether this represents genuine progress or merely creates an appearance of action while substantive policy changes remain indefinitely delayed.
Plant health
In 2024, 397 plant health notifications were exchanged, with 171 reporting non-compliances and 226 addressing contingency plans. Belgium generated the highest number of non-compliant notifications (34), followed by Poland and Estonia (16 each).
The most reported pests were tomato brown rugose fruit virus (23 notifications), Globodera pallida (9), and Bemisia tabaci (6), primarily affecting tomatoes, potatoes, and ornamental plants.
Conclusions
The 2024 Annual Report of the Alert and Cooperation Network demonstrates the EU’s ongoing efforts toward food safety monitoring, though significant gaps and inconsistencies remain evident across different sectors. While the implementation of new networks and technological innovations like TraceMap represent positive developments, the report reveals concerning disparities between regulatory focus and actual risk profiles.
Particularly questionable is the approach to sectors like honey, where intensive scrutiny yielding minimal findings suggests potential misallocation of resources that could be better directed toward areas with demonstrated higher risks. Similarly, the belated launch of the Animal Welfare Network without the repeatedly promised comprehensive reform framework raises serious concerns about the Commission’s commitment to addressing fundamental welfare issues rather than creating procedural mechanisms that may have limited practical impact.
The striking 21% increase in suspected fraud notifications points to either improved detection methods or deteriorating market conditions – a distinction the report fails to adequately analyze. Additionally, the report’s optimistic framing of collaborative efforts conflicts with the reality of delayed reforms and postponed legislative actions in critical areas.
Learning from global innovation: the path forward for EU food safety
The Commission could benefit from examining more innovative approaches being implemented elsewhere, particularly in China’s food fraud prevention strategies. Chinese authorities have developed sophisticated AI-powered surveillance systems and blockchain traceability platforms that have demonstrably improved fraud detection rates while reducing unnecessary inspections. Such technology-driven solutions integrate real-time monitoring with consumer verification options, creating a more responsive and efficient regulatory framework than the EU’s heavily bureaucratic approach.
As new challenges emerge, the ACN’s expanding capabilities will remain necessary for safeguarding European food systems, but greater transparency, consistency in enforcement, and alignment between scrutiny and actual risk will be essential to establish a truly effective food safety regime. Moving forward, the Commission must address these fundamental issues rather than focusing predominantly on technological solutions and procedural networks that may not resolve the underlying regulatory shortcomings without substantial reform in implementation approaches.
Dario Dongo
References
- European Commission. (2025). Health and food safety 2024 annual report: Alert & cooperation network. Publications Office of the European Union. ISBN 978-92-68-27532-0. doi: 10.2875/0397221. https://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_food-safety/index_en.htm
- European Committee of Normalisation. (2004). Food authenticity – Food authenticity and fraud – Concepts, terms, and definitions (EN 17972:2004)
- European Union. (2017). Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls. Official Journal of the European Union, L 95. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32017R0625
- Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products. Latest consolidated version: 05/01/25 https://bit.ly/44K18zZ
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
