On June 10, 2013 the European Commission published the 11th Annual Report of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) (pdf). Food contact materials (FCMs) accounted for 8.5 percent of the overall number of notifications. The number of FCM notifications declined from 308 in 2011 to 289 in 2012. The majority of FCM notifications were border rejections. Overall, China led the notification statistic as the number one country of origin. Specifically, the migration of formaldehyde from kitchenware accounted for the highest number of FCM notifications.
The RASFF is an information network between official enforcement laboratories, intended to ensure a high level of food safety in European member states. The RASFF focuses in particular on food poisoning, genetically modified food, as well as food contamination with mycotoxins, pathogens, pesticides and veterinary medicinal products. The system requires an active effort by member states to detect contamination of selected food contact substances, where analytical methods exist. Unknown and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) are usually not detected.
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11th annual report of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)
