Press Release: Food Safety: Commission presents annual report on Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

Notifications from EU Member States of risks to food safety rose by 22% in 2005 compared to the previous year, according to the annual report on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) published by the European Commission, June 2006. The RASFF is a tool to enable the quick and effective exchange of information between Member States and the Commission on identified risks to the food and feed chain. In total 3158 notifications of food and feed risks were received through the RASFF last year, compared to 2588 in 2004. Meat, poultry and fishery products, fruit and vegetables, and herbs and spices, accounted for the greatest number of notifications. Among the main hazards notified by national control authorities were the presence of mycotoxins, harmful micro-organisms (such as salmonella and e-coli), and illegal substances (such as Sudan dyes). The report also looks at some of the bigger food safety incidents in 2005, such as the presence of the chemical ITX in liquid baby milk, outlines the role of the RASFF in dealing with these and looks at how they were followed up on.

European Commission: DG Health and Food Safety: Overview: Food and Feed Safety: Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) - Introduction http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/rasff/index_en.htm

European Commission: DG Health and Consumer Protection: Overview: Food and Feed Safety: Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF): Annual Report 2005 http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/rapidalert/report2005_en.pdf

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