Food News

Following the first hype surrounding Dubai chocolate and given that it is sold at prices that cannot be justified even by the high cost of pistachios, it was inevitable that food inspectors would take a very close look at these products.

The findings of the North Rhine-Westphalia supervisory authority responsible for this issue are sobering: 96% of all imported Dubai chocolates were found to be defective.  In the case of Dubai chocolate from Germany, 38% of the samples were rejected. The reasons ranged from health-threatening mycotoxin levels, salmonella, undeclared colourings and missing allergen information, incomplete declarations to bold counterfeiting among the 103 samples examined. Some products contained so little cocoa that they should not have been labelled as ‘chocolate’. None of this seems to be spoiling consumers' appetite for these chocolates. The tests clearly show how important it is to have comprehensive quality control throughout the entire production chain, especially when demand remains high and there are simultaneous shortages on the raw materials market (cocoa, pistachios).

YOUR PLUS: The AGROLAB laboratories in Kiel (Germany) and Barendrecht (Netherlands) specialise in residue testing of nuts and dried fruits, among other things. Take advantage of our experience and let our experts advise you on the preparation of test plans.

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger AGROLAB GROUP