CAFIA Annual Report for 2002

03/12/2003
 

3. Inspection

3.4 Results of Control of Contaminants 

The control of contaminants in food represented the total of 6,969 samples taken and analysed in 2002, of which 374 (5.4 %) did not comply with legislative requirements.
 
The highest number of analyses was performed with a scope to detect food contamination by pesticide residues. Altogether 2,621 food samples were taken, in which a total number of 106,236 analyses were performed. The MRL exceeding values of pesticide residues were detected in 44 samples (red or green pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, mandarins and apricots). The most often detected pesticides in the nonconforming samples were endosulfan, chlorothalomil, malathion and dicofol.
 
The biggest proportion of non-conformances in samples was recorded within the scope of  the control of dyes, when out of the total number of 1,014 samples taken, 81 food samples did not comply with the legislative requirements, especially the samples of egg-free pasta and grape wine. The nonconforming food samples contained either inadmissible synthetic dyes or their values detected were exceeding the hygienic limits. The non-conformances concerned especially azorubin, tarrazine and brilliant blue.
 
In the analyses for chemical agents, out of a total number of 1,418 food samples taken, 35 samples (43 analyses) did not comply with the prescribed limits; the declared values were either exceeded or not observed.   
 
Graph 3.4.1: Percentage of the individual agents of the total number of nonconforming analyses in the group of “chemical agents”
 
 
Graph 3.4.1 Percentage of the individual agents of the total number of nonconforming analyses in the group of “chemical agents”
 
Table 3.4.1: Overview of the control of chemical agents
  

Chemical agent

Number of nonconforming analyses

Number of nonconforming analyses in %

Foodstuffs with detected nonconformances

Arsenic 3 7,0 Rice
Phosphorus 2 4,7 Multivitamin preparations
Potassium 1 2,3 Multivitamin preparations
Magnesium 1 2,3 Multivitamin preparations
Chromium 2 4,7 Multivitamin preparations
Cadmium 24 55,8 Poppy seed blue, frozen mushrooms
Lead 4 9,3 Bread
Mercury 3 7,0
Chinese herbal mixture
Calcium 2 4,7 Multivitamin preparation, gelatine drink
Zinc 1 2,3 Vegetable marrow

Total

43

  

In the group of preservatives the most frequently verified agents were sulphur dioxide and sorbic acid, and benzoic acid especially in wine. Altogether 1,497 food samples were taken for the analyses of preservatives, of which 49 samples were evaluated as nonconforming.  

As for the determinations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, the total of 301 food samples were taken, of which 8 samples did not comply due to a higher contents of benzo(k)fluoranten and chrysene detected. The non-conformances were mainly detected in samples of olive oils.
 
In the group of polychlorinated biphenyls all the 398 samples taken and analysed complied with the prescribed limits, none of the samples was assessed as nonconforming.
 
In the group of mycotoxins the total of 764 food samples were taken, of which 5 samples did not comply with the prescribed limits. The mycotoxins that exceeded the prescribed values were patulin and ochratoxin, the nonconforming foods were apple mixed feeding and fruit baby food.  
 
In order to determine the contents of phthalates, 281 food samples were taken, of which 14 samples analysed did not comply with the limits. The MRL exceeding values of phthalates were most often detected in wine liquors and in slivovitz.
 
In the group of sweeteners the sampling included 197 food samples, of which 7 did not comply with the MRL values (e.g. garlic dressing and multivitamin juice). 
 
Table 3.4.2: Overview of the results of control of some contaminants with focus on analyses

  

Contaminants

Total number of analyses

Number of nonconforming analyses

Nonconforming analyses in %

Pesticides
106236
 47 0,04
Dyes
10471
 237 2,26
Chemical agents
4433
 43 0,97
Preservatives
4680
 51 1,09
PAHs
3694
 11 0,30
PCB
3183
 0 0,00
Mycotoxins
1093
 5 0,46
Phthalates 
652
 14 2,15
Sweeteners
521
 7 1,34

Graph 3.4.2: Detected proportion of nonconforming samples by the groups of contaminants
 
Graph 3.4.2 Detected proportion of nonconforming samples by the groups of contaminants