Q1 2025, the European Union issued 1,211 recall alerts via the RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) concerning products imported into the EU market. Among these, 1,104 cases were related to food products, 33 cases involved food contact packaging materials, and the remainder pertained to animal feed.

For food products, the fruit and vegetable category faced the highest number of alerts with 267 cases, followed by nuts and nut products with 150 cases, and poultry meat ranked third. The primary reasons for these alerts included excessive levels of toxins, heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbiological pathogen, and undeclared allergens,….

Detailed breakdown of the alerts:

1. Contaminants – This group recorded the highest number of alerts with approximately 289 cases:
   • The most affected products were nuts and their derivatives, primarily due to contamination with aflatoxin and ochratoxin A.
   • Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were frequently detected in fruits and spices.
   • Notably, several spice samples exceeded permissible levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, natural toxins often found in flowering herbs.
   • Excessive levels of erucic acid were found in mustard seeds originating from Russia and Belarus.
2. Microbiological Contaminants:
   • Poultry meat: 78 alerts, with over 56% linked to Salmonella, followed by Listeria monocytogenes (26%) and Campylobacter spp. (17%).
   • Seafood: 65 alerts, mainly due to Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Vibrio spp.
   • Bivalve mollusks: 50 alerts, primarily due to Norovirus, E. coli, and Hepatitis A virus.
   • Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products: Common pathogens included Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli.
3. Pesticide Residues:
   • The unauthorised substance chlorpyrifos was frequently detected, particularly in fruits and vegetables. Other unapproved substances such as acephate and methamidophos were also found in this group.
   • A high detection rate of ethylene oxide (9 cases) was reported, mostly in herbs and spices. This is a banned substance in the EU and subject to strict import control.
   • Acetamiprid was regularly detected at levels exceeding EU limits, predominantly in the fruits and vegetables category.
4. Allergens:
   • All allergen-related alerts were due to undeclared allergens on product labels. The most common omissions were milk, followed by nuts, gluten, sesame, eggs, soy, mustard, and celery.
   • Exporters are advised to thoroughly review their allergen control procedures and ensure proper labeling, as this is a mandatory requirement under EU labeling regulations.
5. Food Additives:
   • Banned additives such as Sudan I, II, III, IV and E171- titanium dioxide were still being detected.
   • Colorants like E124 – Ponceau 4R and E110 – Sunset Yellow were found in excess of permitted limits.
   • Preservatives, notably sulfur dioxide, were found at levels above regulatory thresholds and in some cases, not declared on labels.
6. Antibiotics:
   • There were 6 cases of import rejections, 3 monitoring alerts, 3 warnings, and 1 note, all related to antibiotic contamination in imported food products.
   • Prohibited substances such as nitrofuran, malachite green, and leucomalachite green were still present in seafood products.
   • Residues of antibiotics like oxytetracycline were found at levels above permitted limits.
7. Novel Foods:

Several ingredients not yet approved by the EU were detected, mainly in dietary supplements and functional foods. A few cases involved mixed products and cocoa-based items.

8. Foreign Matter:

Numerous recalls were linked to contamination with foreign materials such as metal, plastic, glass, and wood.

9. Food Recall Alerts Originating from Vietnam:

Source: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search