The 2020 report on the use of the RASFF rapid alert system for food and feed, published by the European Commission on Monday 23 August, shows that a total of 3,862 notifications of risks related to food or feed were sent by Member States to the Commission last year.
This figure is slightly lower than last year’s report, probably due to the pandemic, which led to a decrease in product rejections at the border. Over the last seven years, the annual number of alert notifications has doubled, showing that during this period the network has become much more competent in detecting and reporting food and feed that pose a significant risk to consumers.
Ethylene oxide in sesame seeds is the most frequently reported problem in 2020. Most ethylene oxide contamination was reported by companies checking their stocks. As in previous years, most notifications in 2020 concerned food products, with a small percentage of notifications relating to feed (6%) and food contact materials (3%).
Link to the 2020 report on the use of the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed: https://bit.ly/389rkp4 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)