The Italian Ministry of Health has published a report on food safety in the European Union based on alert and information notifications registered by member states with the RASFF – Rapid Alert System on Food and Feed(and Food Contact Materials, FCM) – in 2022. Pesticide residues, pathogenic microorganisms and allergens characterize the scenario.
Declining trends on fruits and vegetables (which also maintain the top spot for number of reports), poultry meat, fishery products, food contact materials, and herbs and spices. Instead, notifications on nuts, nut and seed products, diet and fortified foods, dietary supplements, cereals, and baked goods are increasing.
1) RASFF, 2022 notifications.
RASFF – the European Rapid Alert System on Food Safety, Feed, Materials and Objects in Contact with Food (MOCA) – recorded a total of 4,339 notifications in 2022, distributed as follows:
– food and beverages, 3,888 notifications,
– feed, 233 notifications,
– materials and articles intended for food contact (MOCA, or FCM), 218 cases.
2) The most active countries in notifications.
Germany leads the country in the number of reports with 586 reports (13.5 percent of the total). To follow:
– Netherlands, 558 notifications (12.8%),
– Belgium, 422 notifications (9.7 percent),
– Spain, 324 notifications (7.5 percent).
2.1) Notifications from Italy to the RASFF in 2022.
Italy is fifth in the ranking, along with Poland, with 318 notifications (7.3 percent of the total). The notifications made by Italy to the RASFF in 2022 mainly concern:
– Nuts, nut products and seeds (17.9 percent),
– fruits and vegetables (16.3 percent),
– fish and fishery products (13.8 percent).
The most recorded food safety hazards pertain to contamination by:
– Mycotoxins (24.5%),
– Pathogenic microorganisms (17.7 percent),
– Pesticide residues (14.1%),
– heavy metals (11.6 percent).
3) Origin of foods subject to notifications
The largest number of alerts to the RASFF in 2022 concerns products with origin from:
– Turkey. 558 notifications, accounting for 11.9% of the total,
– India. 324 notifications, 6.9% of the total,
– China. 322 notifications, 6.9%.
Italy is involved in 146 reports, accounting for 3.1 percent of the total.
4) Hazards most reported to RASFF in 2022.
The most reported food safety hazards through notifications to RASFF in 2022 pertain to:
– Pesticide residues. Towering above them are substances not authorized in the EU, Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos-Methyl followed byethylene oxide,
– Pathogenic microorganisms, almost always serovars of Salmonella,
– Mycotoxins.
5) Registered food safety hazards by product categories.
The analysis of notifications made to RASFF in 2022 allows for the identification of the most commonly encountered food safety risks in the different categories food, feed, and food contact materials (MOCA, or FCM).
5.1) Fish and fishery products
There were 237 notifications to the RASFF on fish and fishery products in 2022. Especially on products with origin Spain, Morocco and France. The largest number of notifications concerns:
– heavy metals (48 notifications, or 19.6 percent of the category total). Mercury was reported 45 times (93.75% of cases), cadmium on 3 occasions (6.25%), above legal limits. The countries of origin most involved are Spain, Morocco and Indonesia,
– Hygienic deficiencies (40, 16.3% of the total category). Failure to control temperature (33 cases, 80.49% of the total), unauthorized operators (6 cases, 14.63% of the total), insufficient controls (1 case), traceability defects (1 case). The country of origin with the most notifications was Morocco,
– Microbiological contaminants (39, 15.9%). Almost all of these notifications concern contamination by
Listeria monocytogenes
. The countries of origin most involved were France and Poland,
– biological contaminants (33, 13.5 percent of the category total). Histamine continues to dominate the scene, almost always (and as always) with Spanish origin,
– parasites (25, 10.2% of the total). Anisakis was reported in 23 cases. The predominant origin of noncompliant products is Morocco.
5.2) Shellfish and crustaceans.
Bivalve molluscs (mussels, clams, tellins, oysters) were the subject of 75 notifications to the RASFF in 2022, mainly due to contamination by:
– Pathogenic microorganisms (46, accounting for 57.5 percent of noncompliances on bivalve molluscs),
– Microbiological contaminants (13, 16.3% of cases on bivalve molluscs),
– Natural toxins (8, 10% of noncompliances on bivalve molluscs).
Norovirus
(35 notifications), Escherichia coli (12 cases), Salmonella (9 cases). France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands the main countries of origin.
Cephalopod molluscs (cuttlefish, octopus, squid, squid) were the subject of 28 notifications for heavy metals (cadmium), hygienic (temperature) and documentary deficiencies. Spain, India and Morocco the first countries of origin involved.
Crustaceans (shrimps, prawns, lobsters, etc.) garnered 64 notifications, mainly for pathogenic microorganisms (28 cases, 43.1 percent on shellfish), temperature control deficiencies (7 cases, 10.8 percent), and additives and flavorings (7 cases, 10.8 percent). The most frequent hazard is presence of Vibrio vulnificus (15 cases, accounting for 48.4 percent of pathogenic microorganisms). The countries of origin with the highest number of notifications are Ecuador and China.
5.3) Meat and poultry
199 food safety cases related to meat (excluding poultry) involved microbiological contamination
by
Salmonella
(47),
Listeria monocytogenes
(28) and Escherichia coli STEC (26). The countries with the highest number of reports are the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Germany. As many as 16 reports concerned the presence of undeclared allergens, mainly soy and gluten.
Poultry recorded 329 nonconformities, mainly for the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (88.2%), Salmonella primarily, microbiological contamination (3.1%), allergens (1.8%) and veterinary drug residues (1.8%). The country of origin with the highest number of notifications is Poland, followed by Brazil and Hungary.
Finally, snails from Morocco have caused two foodborne illnesses in Spain.
5.4) Milk and honey
99 food safety cases notified to RASFF in 2022 on milk and dairy products relate to microbiological risks (49.5 percent). The
Listeria monocytogenes
(53.7 percent), followed by Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (18.52 percent). Origin France in first place, Italy and the Netherlands to follow.
Honey and other hive products recorded only 5 notifications of food safety risks, due to pesticide and antibiotic residues. The countries of origin of the products are China, Spain and Turkey; notifications were made by Belgium and the Netherlands.
5.5) Fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds
Fruits and vegetables remain at the top of the list of notifications to RASFF, 821 in 2022. Major and often competing food safety risks have included:
– Pesticide residues (595 notifications, 71.4 percent of the category total),
– Mycotoxins (91 cases, 10.9%),
– Heavy metals (35, 4.2%),
– Food additives and flavorings (25, 3.0%).
Pesticide residues included the presence of the insecticide ethylene oxide (banned in Europe) in six cases, and its metabolite (2-chloroethanol) in four cases. The country with the highest number of notifications is Turkey, followed by Egypt and India.
Dried fruits and seeds ranked second in the number of reports, 493. The main problem concerns mycotoxin contamination. This was followed by Salmonella ssp.
5.6) Cereals and derivatives
284 notifications on cereals and cereal products are associated with:
– presence of mycotoxins (80 cases, or 28% of the category total), a significant increase from 2021 (21 reports). Aflatoxins (60), ochratoxin A (19), fumonisins (3) and zearalenone,
– pesticide residues (74, accounting for 25.9 percent of reports in the category),
– Allergens not declared on the label (33).
The countries most affected are India, Pakistan and the Netherlands.
5.7) Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices have registered 296 alerts for serious food safety risk, due to:
– Pesticide residues (117 cases, 39.5 percent of the category total), Chlorpyrifos in primis,
– Pathogenic microorganisms (70 notifications, 23.7 percent), mainly Salmonella spp,
– Mycotoxins (27 reports, 9.1%).
The country of origin with the highest number of notifications for herbs and spices is India, followed by Brazil and Turkey.
5.8) Dietary foods and food supplements
Dietary products and dietary supplements collected as many as 382 reports to the RASFF in 2022. The bulk of the notifications concern products sold through e-commerce, mainly with US, UK and German origin.
The main irregularities pertain to the use of unauthorized substances and/or with dosages above the limits, classified in the table under composition (27%). This is followed by reports on unauthorized novel foods (24.9 percent) and those on the presence of pesticides (10.5 percent), ethylene oxide and its metabolite 2-chloroethanol above all.
5.9) Food additives and flavorings
42 notifications on food additives and flavorings risky to human health concern:
– pesticides (54.7 percent of the total on food additives and flavorings), with ethylene oxide and its metabolite topping the list,
– undeclared allergens (mainly peanuts, with benefit of inventory for false alerts on soy lecithin), 16.7 percent of the total.
The largest number of notifications concern products of India, Turkey, France and the United Kingdom origin.
5.10) Ice cream and confectionery
26 nonconformities of food safety impact, including ice cream and confectionery, concern:
– presence of pesticides (30.7 percent of the category total), again due to ethylene oxide,
– Allergens not declared on the label,
– Foreign bodies.
France and Turkey are the main countries of origin.
5.11) Confectionery and confectionery products
Confectionery and confectionery products collected 67 alerts to the RASFF in 2022, related to:
– undeclared allergens and additives (accounting for 20.9 percent of total notifications concerning confectionery and confectionery products). As many as 15 notifications for unauthorized dyes and 7 for undeclared milk protein
– Pathogenic microorganisms (accounting for 16.4 % of the total), Salmonella above all.
The notifications mainly concern products with origins in Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
5.12) Fats and oils
51 reports of fats and oils at risk to food safety and public health concern:
– process contaminants (25.5 percent of the category total). In particular, glycidyl esters and 3-MCPD, characteristic of palm oil, often detected together.
– composition (19.6 percent), often spoiled by carcinogenic dyes (Sudan 3 and 4),
– environmental contaminants (13.7 percent of the total) mainly for benzoapyrene,
– Online food fraud (13.7 percent of the total).
The countries of origin with the most reports for fats and oils were Ghana and the Netherlands; those with the most reports were the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
5.13) Soups, broths, soups and sauces
44 food safety nonconformities concern:
– Presence of allergens (31.8% of noncompliances),
– Food additives and flavorings (11.4 percent of cases),
– migration of substances from contact materials (11.4 percent of notifications, all related to migration of phthalates),
– pesticides (11.4 percent of noncompliances).
Most of the reports on soups, broths, soups and sauces involved products of Italian and Belgian origin.
5.14) Ready meals and snacks
Ready meals and snacks with food safety issues generated 111 alerts to RASFF in 2022, due to:
– allergens (25.2% of noncompliances, mostly milk),
– Foreign bodies (15.3%),
– Pesticides (13.5 percent), 2-chloroethanol mainly,
– Microbiological contaminants (9%),
– Pathogenic microorganisms (9%), Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Spp in most cases,
E.coli
to follow.
The origin of the products varies, but the countries most involved are the Netherlands, Vietnam, Belgium and France.
5.15) Beverages
Drinks were the subject of 61 notifications and 65 nonconformities. The most frequent reports concern nonalcoholic beverages for the presence of novel foods (7 cases), additives and flavorings (7), undeclared allergens (5), and compositional hazards (3).
5.16) Cocoa and cocoa products, tea and coffee
85 reports of noncompliance on cocoa and cocoa derivatives, tea and coffee are related to:
– pesticide residues (44.7 percent of noncompliances on chocolate, tea and coffee). Anthraquinone (12 cases), Dinotefuran (11 cases), and Chlorpyrifos and Lambda-Cyhalotrhin (8 cases each),
– novel food (11, accounting for 12.9 percent of noncompliances for chocolate, tea and coffee), Yohimbe (bark) and Artemisia Annua in 3 cases for both,
– undeclared allergens (7.1% of noncompliances for chocolate, tea and coffee).
The origin of notified products varies, although the largest number of reports on chocolate and chocolate products, tea and coffee involve products from China and Belgium.
5.17) Eggs and egg products
Ten notifications concern eggs and egg products. The most implicated pathogen is Salmonella, and the origin of noncompliant products is varied, with Poland leading the way.
6) Food contact materials
231 nonconformities registered with the RASFF in 2022 on food contact materials (FCM, or MOCA), from China and the UK especially, are characteristic of this category:
– composition (mostly due to use of unauthorized bamboo fibers ),
– Migration of substances such as primary aromatic amines (38 cases) and formaldehyde. (13).
7) Animal Feeding
Feed, compound feed, feed additives and premixes registered 186 notifications to the RASFF in 2022. In detail:
– feed. Pathogenic microorganisms, all belonging to the genus Salmonella, express about half of the reports,
– compound feeds. The presence of veterinary medicines is the most detected hazard,
– feed additives. The prevailing risk is the presence of pesticides, ethylene oxidefirst and foremost,
– premixes. The risks are equally distributed between pathogenic microorganisms and composition (50%).
The country with the highest number of reports in animal nutrition is Germany, followed by the Netherlands and Poland.
7.1) Pet food
Salmonella spp.
is also the most prevalent pathogen in pet food, with 49 notifications to RASFF in 2022. Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland on the podium of lack of self-control.
8) Is that all?
The review of food safety risk cases reported by EU member states to the European Commission through the RASFF system in 2022 does not resolve some Hamletian doubts:
– how is it possible that in a single European market where 448 million people consume € 1.46 trillion in food and drink (2) there are only 3,888 food safety risk notifications within 12 months?
– Are official controls on the food supply chain actually declining, as reported by BEUC as early as 2019? (3)
– how many cases are covered, (4) not reported or reported late minimized in follow-up (5,6,7)?
– What benchmarks are used to assess the reliability of the data? (8) How big is theiceberg under the tip of the RASFF?
Dario Dongo and Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Raffaello Lena, Loredana Iuliano, Fabrizio Lazzara, Valentina Cambiotti, Giuseppe Molonia. RASFF, Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed. Annual Report 2022. https://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_pubblicazioni_3351_allegato.pdf Ministry of Health, DGISAN (Directorate General for Hygiene and Safety of Food and Nutrition). Director General Dr. Ugo Della Marta. 1.8.23
(2) Key figures on the European food chain. 2022 edition. https://tinyurl.com/565hkxar Eurostat
(3) Marta Strinati. Public official controls in decline, the BEUC report. FT (Food Times). 2.11.19
(4) Dario Dongo. Mondeleaks, here’s how industry and institutions handled the mustard allergen in wheat. FT (Food Times). 29.9.22
(5) Dario Dongo, Marina De Nobili. Crisis management, the European Commission’s master plan. FT (Food Times). 5.3.19
(6) Dario Dongo. Traceability and origin of meat, widespread fraud in France. FT (Food Times). 14.9.29
(7) Dario Dongo, Marta Strinati. Listeria, the Spanish outbreak, and the faults of Brussels. FT (Food Times). 24.8.19
(8) The EFSA-ECDC reports on zoonoses for example, in expressing a small fraction of food safety risks, offer more consistent data. V. Dario Dongo. Zoonoses in Europe, EFSA and ECDC report. FT (Food Times). 14.1.19
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
