Data from the European Commission's second monthly report highlights an increase in food fraud suspicions across European countries in February. The report, drawing from the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN), the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), the Administrative Assistance and Cooperation Network (AAC), and the Agri-Food Fraud Network (FFN), focuses on potential fraud in food, animal feed, food-contact materials, animal welfare, plant protection products, and veterinary medicine.
A significant portion of the 318 notices, with 104 related to fruit and vegetables, showcases the cross-border nature of these suspicions, prompting possible investigations by EU member states.
Notably, fruit and vegetables remained the most discussed product category for fraud suspicions, similar to January's findings. Other categories such as dietetic foods, supplements, fortified foods, cereals, and bakery products also featured prominently.
Instances of ethylene oxide contamination were reported in products from Thailand, France, and India. The majority of these suspicions arose from border inspections, market controls, and occasionally from whistleblower tips, media monitoring, and consumer complaints.
Source: foodsafetynews.com