Suspected EU fraud alerts continue to fall

Fraud and non-compliance issues discussed in September by European countries remained at lower levels than earlier this year’s figures.

The number of food and other fraud suspicions raised by EU member states declined in September. The 213 alerts are down from 222 in August, 325 in July, 265 in June, 281 in May, 341 in April, 345 in March, and 318 in February. There were 277 in January.

The 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).

It covers food, animal feed, food contact materials, animal welfare for farmed animals, plant protection products, and veterinary medicine products that end up as residues and contaminants in food and feed.

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 53 notices mentioned fruit and vegetables, with the majority being non-compliant because of pesticide residues. Dietetic foods, supplements, and fortified foods ranked second with 36 alerts. Herbs and spices were third, with cereals and bakery products in fourth. 

The majority of issues were uncovered through border inspections or market controls. In total, 12 were found after consumer complaints and 21 after a company’s internal check. Two were because of whistleblower information.

Examples of highlighted issues
In September, six alerts involved the United States. They included dichlorvos in almonds, additives in cereals, soft drinks, and snacks, and ingredients in supplements not allowed in Europe.

Product tampering cases included adulteration of olive oil with other oils from Italy, the water content of chicken meat from Poland, ethylene oxide in xanthan gum from China, and a spice mix from Pakistan.

Two incidents mentioned tuna: one related to carbon monoxide in tuna from Vietnam and the other to untypical color and sensory issues, making a product from Denmark unfit for consumption.

Record tampering incidents included the processing of chicken nuggets after their shelf life had expired in Germany, the unknown origin of kebab meat, the falsification of origin for berries, the absence of traceability for squid from Chile, and the forgery of health certificates for xanthan gum from China.

Other issues raised were animal by-products diverted to the food chain in France, shrimp processing unfit for human consumption in Spain, an unauthorized operator of dairy products in Poland, and the absence of traceability for meat from the Netherlands.

Illegal import notices covered products of animal origin from the UK and biscuits with milk from Syria.

Several non-compliances mentioned ingredients not authorized in the EU and pesticides above the maximum residue limits (MRL). Other alerts were due to traceability concerns or products missing border controls.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/10/suspected-eu-fraud-alerts-continue-to-fall/