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In this article, we summarize significant alert notifications from the RASFF system of the European Commission from the previous month.
The table is now even clearer and easier to navigate. We sort the notifications according to product groups based on the headings used within the RASFF system and, in the second column, according to the countries of origin. Since you know your raw materials, products and their origins best, this structure helps you quickly identify notifications that may be relevant to your business.
We classified notifications as relevant if they were confirmed and marked as “serious” within the system. In general, we no longer repeat measured values and legal maximum levels for every contaminant. Furthermore, regarding microbiological contaminations, we will largely refrain from reporting recurring notifications concerning meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, fish and seafood as well as milk and dairy products. These product groups have shown recurring reports of well-known pathogenic microorganisms every month for many years. In addition, these highly perishable foods often never entered the market or were no longer commercially available at the time of our report.
Notifications concerning dried fruits and other processed fruits and vegetables, except frozen products, continue to be listed under food notifications. All seafood and algae are combined into one product group, deviating slightly from the official RASFF product group systematics. You can also evaluate the RASFF database yourself using various filter options and restrict notifications to those directly relevant to your company.
Link:
May 2026
Chemical Hazards:
| Product Group | Origin | Hazard | Notification |
| Cereals and bakery products | Czech Republic | Mycotoxins | High levels of ochratoxin A and acrylamide found in spelt flatbreads, notified by France |
| Czech Republic | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxin A in organic spelt waffles, notified by Germany | |
| France | Mycotoxins | Detection of ergot alkaloids in wheat gluten | |
| Pakistan | Pesticides | Clothianidin, Acetamiprid and Chlorpyrifos+) 0,13 mg/kg (!) (0,01 mg/kg)in Basmati rice | |
| Slovakia | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in mini corn wafers with raw material from Hungary. | |
| Cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee and tea | Belgium | Mycotoxins & Industrial contaminants | Ochratoxin A and acrylamide in coffee |
| Italy | Mycotoxins | Excessive levels of ochratoxin A found in coffee supplied by Italy, originating from Ethiopia, notified by France | |
| Confectionary | Czech Republic | Unauthorised ingredients | High level of delta-9-THC in chocolate |
| Czech Republic | Unauthorised ingredients | High level of delta-9-THC in fruit gummies | |
| Slovenia | Unauthorised ingredients | High level of delta-9-THC in fruit gummies | |
| USA | Unauthorised ingredients | Δ9-THC in gummy candies | |
| Dietetic foods, food supplements and fortified foods | China | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxine A on Fermented Maca powder |
| Netherlands | Unauthorised ingredients | Too high amount of caffeine in food supplement | |
| Dried fruits (nuts see below) | Iran | Environmental pollutant | MOAH 36,9 mg/kg (!) (0,5 mg/kg) in raisins |
| Turkey | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in dried figs (2) | |
| Turkey | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in dried figs | |
| Turkey | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxin A in dried figs (3) | |
| Uzbekistan | Mycotoxins | Exceed level of Ochratoxin A 62 µg/kg in raisins | |
| Fats and oils | Greece | Industrial contaminants | 3-MCPD in olive oil for frying |
| Nigeria | Unauthorised colour | Sudan IV in palm oil | |
| Portugal | Industrial contaminants | MOSH and MOAH in olive oil | |
| Fish, crustaceae, bivalve molluscs, cephalo-& gastropods and product thereof | France | Biotoxins | Shellfish that may be contaminated with ASP toxins |
| France | Biogenic amines | Histamine in Sardine | |
| Iceland | Heavy metals | Cadmium 0,75 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) cod liver | |
| India | Heavy metals | Cadmium in frozen cuttlefish | |
| Spain | Heavy metals | Mercury levels exceed limits in frozen swordfish made from raw materials, notified by Italy | |
| Tunisia | Heavy metals | Mercury above legal limits in Seriola dumerili (Ricciola), notified by Italy | |
| Herbs and spices | China | Pesticides | Unauthorised substance Chlorpyrifos+) in wild Sichuan pepper, via Netherlands |
| China | Pesticides | 10 different pesidicide residues, among them Acetamiprid 2,7 mg/kg (!!) (0,05 mg/kg), Carbendazim +) 0,47 mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg), Carbofuran 0,87 (!) mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Chlorpyriphos +) 0,24 (!) mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Imidacloprid 0,5 (!) mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Tebuconazole 1,7 mg/kg (!) (0,05 mg/kg) in pepper | |
| China | Pesticides | Tebufenpyrad 40 mg/kg (!) (1 mg/kg) in Zingiber officinale extract, inported by Italy | |
| China | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxin A in dried sweet peppers | |
| Egypt | Pesticides | High levels of pesticide residues e.g. Acetamiprid 0,62 (!) mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Carbendazim+) 1,2 (!) mg/kg (0,1 mg/kg) , Chlorpyriphos+) 0,096 mg/kg (0,01 mg/kg), Picoxystrobin+) 0,24 mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg), Tricyclazole+) 1,7 (!) mg/kg (0,05 mg/kg) and five further residues in cumin powder (via Netherlands) | |
| Guatemala | Pesticides | Anthraquinon in Cardamom, notified by Spain | |
| Indonesia | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin-A in nutmeg | |
| Kosovo | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxin A in crushed paprika | |
| Kosovo | Pesticides | Carbofuran in paprika powder | |
| Sri Lanka | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A 420 (!) µg/kg (15 µg/kg) in organic ground nutmeg | |
| Turkey | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A 221,3 (!) µg/kg (20 µg/kg) in paprika spice mix | |
| Turkey | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Cayenne pepper | |
| Nuts, nut products, pulses and seeds | Argentina | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin B1 51 µg/kg (!) (2 µg/kg) in Groundnut Runner Raw Split (2) |
| Argentina | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin B1 in groundnuts (5) | |
| China | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in blanched groundnut kernels | |
| India | Pesticides | Chlorpyrifos+) in black cumin | |
| Iran | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in shelled pistachios (2) | |
| Italy | Mycotoxins | Ochratoxin A in almonds | |
| Netherlands | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins on peanut paste | |
| Peru | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in groundnuts | |
| Uganda | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins 475 µg/kg (!!!) (4 µg/kg) in red peanuts with destination Belgium | |
| Uganda | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins (total) 286 µg/kg (!!) (4 µg/kg) , Aflatoxin B1 110 µg/kg (!!) (2 µg/kg) in peanuts | |
| Uganda | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins in peanut powder from Uganda, destination Netherlands. | |
| UNKNOWN | Pesticides | Detection of Chlorpyrifos+) in sesame seeds, notified by France | |
| USA | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin in pistachios from the USA, via the United Arab Emirates | |
| USA | Mycotoxins | Aflatoxins above the permitted limits in pistachios from the USA shipped to Turkey | |
| USA | Mycotoxins | Octatoxin A 93,34 µg/kg (!) (5 µg/kg) in pistachio granules | |
| Other food product & prepared dishes and snacks | Russia | Unauthorised colour | Unauthorized food color Sudan I+) in sauces, notified by Latvia |
+) Application prohibited
MRL exceeded: (!) ≥10 times, (!!) ≥50 times, (!!!) ≥100 times
Microbiological Hazards:
| Product Group | Origin | Notification |
| Fish, crustaceae, bivalve molluscs, cephalo-& gastropods and product thereof | Ecuador | Presence of listeria monocytognes in shrimps, notified by France |
| France | Detection of Salmonela in a seeafood cocktail | |
| India | Detection of Vibrio vulnificus in frozen raw wild-caught prawns | |
| Dried fruits and vegetables | South Korea | Norovirus in nori (roasted seaweed) |
| Eggs and egg products | Belgium | Salmonella in eggs |
| Herbs and spices | Germany | Salmonella in moringa powder |
| Vietnam | Bacillus cereus in ground cinnamon, via Hungary | |
| Milk and milk products | France | STEC in raw milk cheese (2) |
| France | Escherichia coli shigatoxin-producing in raw milk cheese (2) | |
| Ireland | Cereulide in infant formula | |
| Ireland | Cereulide in infant formula, manufactured in Poland | |
| Italy | Presence of listeria monocyogenes in cheese | |
| Italy | Listeria in gorgonzola | |
| Spain | Presence of L. monocytogenes in Latin-type cheese | |
| Spain | Presence of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese (2) | |
| Nuts, nut products and seeds | India | Salmonella spp. in sesame seeds |
| Italy | Salmonella in pistachio paste | |
| Malawi | Salmonella spp in macadamia | |
| Netherlands | Salmonella spp. in sesame seeds | |
| Nigeria | Salmonella spp. in sesame seeds (2) | |
| Spain | Salmonella spp. in sprouted seeds | |
| Sweden | Salmonella and ochratoxin A in pistachio nuts | |
| Other food products & Prepared dishes and snacks | Ukraine | Salmonella Stanley in instant noodle meal from Ukraine, via Poland |
Other Hazards:
| Product Group | Origin | Hazard | Notification |
| Cereals and bakery products | Germany | Allergens | Undeclared allergen milk on vegan muffins |
| Germany | Allergens | Undeclared allergen peanut on Baklava | |
| Dried fruits (nuts see below) | Hungary | Allergens | Allergen celery not declared on the label of dried vegetable |
| Uzbekistan | Allergens | Undeclared allergen (sulphur dioxide) in dried apricots | |
| Fish, crustaceae, bivalve molluscs, cephalo-& gastropods and product thereof | Italy | Food fraud ? | Verification of unfavorable species in surimi originating in China |
| Herbs and spices | Iran | Allergens | Allergen not declared on the label (nut) in saffron, notified by Italy |
| Meat and meat products | Germany | Parasites | Cysticercosis in beef (bovine carcass) |
| Other food products & Prepared dishes and snacks | Belgium | Allergens | Undeclared allergen (Mustard) in Noodles |
| Germany | Allergens | Presence of sulphites not declared on the label in mustard, notified by Italy (2) | |
| Italy | Allergens | Presence of an allergen (fish) not reported on the label of hot Hot Chilli Pesto | |
| Italy | Food poisoning | Botulism following consumption of Olive and Almond Cream (2) | |
| Netherlands | Allergens | Undeclared allergens mustard and egg in a dressing | |
| Netherlands | Allergens | Undeclared allergens in protein bars | |
| Netherlands | Microbiological contamination | Listeria monocytogenes present in a ready to eat cheese board | |
| South Korea | Allergens | Allergen information for milk is missing from the label in popcorn, notified by Netherlands | |
| Switzerland | Allergens | Undeclared allergen mustard in gravy | |
| Vietnam | Allergens | Egg allergen not declared on the label in ravioli, notified by Italy | |
| Soups, broths, sauces and condiments | Belgium | Allergens | Allergen soja not listed on sweet chili sauce |
| Netherlands | Allergens | Undeclared allergen shellfish in dip sauce toum |
Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger, AGROLAB GROUP
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