Following a favourable opinion from the Member States, on Tuesday 24 February the European Commission adopted rules tightening controls on imports of arachidonic acid oil from China, used in the manufacture of infant formula.
Since December, notifications to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), as well as investigations carried out by the competent authorities in the Member States concerned, have revealed the presence of the toxin cereulide in arachidonic acid oil of Chinese origin, which is used in the production of infant formula. This situation has led several companies to issue product recalls (see EUROPE 13800/12).
From 26 February, imports of arachidonic acid oil from China will be subject to special conditions when entering the EU. Each consignment must be presented at Border Control Posts of the Member States, where they will undergo documentary checks and – at a frequency of 50% – physical and identity checks. Each consignment must be accompanied by the results of laboratory analyses and an official certificate issued by the Chinese authorities attesting that the sampling and analyses demonstrate the absence of cereulide toxin. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)