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Analyses for contaminants were performed in the total of 12,123 samples of food. Of which 1,189 samples were determined as non-complying, which represents 9.8 % of the total number of samples taken. The highest numbers of non-complying samples were detected in commodities such as grape wine (204), fresh vegetables (120), processed fruit - vegetables (99), soft drinks (97), spirit - alcoholic drinks (92), cold meals (77) and milk products (55).

Chemical substances

Determinations of chemical substances - contaminants focused on aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, chrome, iron, lead, mercury, nickel, tin and zinc.

Survey of non-complying values of chemical substances detected

* the maximum limit permitted was not exceeded in the non-complying samples

Natural toxins

Natural toxins include a group of mycotoxins, biogenic amines, nitrosamines, alkaloids, compounds of nitrogen and other natural toxins.

In determining mycotoxins, CAFIA laboratories carried out 1138 analyses, while all the samples were detected as complying. Such a fact corresponds with results obtained in previous years. Positive or even limit exceeding values of mycotoxins detected in food are isolated cases. All kinds of mycotoxins specified in the Ministry of Health Decree No. 298/1997 Coll. were monitored in 1999; aflatoxins B1, (B1B2G1G2, ochratoxin and patulin in the CAFIA proper laboratories, and aflatoxin M1, sterigmatocystin a deoxinivalenol in external laboratories.

Determinations of nitrates focused mainly on fresh vegetables, though, some other kinds of foodstuffs were analysed as well (soft drinks, potatoes, beer, etc.), while 115 drawbacks were detected.

In the determination of histamine (inspection focused mainly on fish products, wine and cheeses), 2 cases of non-complying values were detected - in the samples of herring filets and Emmenthal cheese.

Determination of urethane concentrated mainly on spirits and some kinds of wine in smaller number of cases. 13 non-conformances were detected in spirits.

Tyramine was analysed most often in cheeses and wine, but also in some other foodstuffs such as beer and fish products. Non-conformances were detected in 40 samples, mostly in cheeses, sporadically in beer and wine.

With exception to the above mentioned natural toxins, some others were analysed as well, such as methanol, solanine, erucic acid, N-nitrosamines, as well as those toxins for which no binding hygienic limits are set (e.g.: agmatin, cadaverine, cumarin, pulegon, putrescine, tryptamine, etc.). Non-conformances were detected only sporadically.

Organic contaminants

Among organic contaminants analysed were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, other hydrocarbons, PCB, phthalates and other organic contaminants

Survey of analyses of organic contaminants with non-complying values detected

Except for the organic contaminants specified in the survey, quite a number of other contaminants were analysed, e.g. benzo(ghi)perylene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, dibenzo(ah)anthracene, in which only sporadic non-conformances were detected. Analyses of anthracene, PCB, pyrene, etc. did not show any non-conformances.

Pesticides

As to the determination of pesticide residua, altogether 55,593 analyses were performed in 1999 and in the total of 38 samples non-complying values were detected. Survey of non-complying values is given in the table below. With some exceptions, all non-conforming samples were of imported foodstuffs.

Survey of non-complying values of pesticide residua

Additives

Analyses focused on detecting whether a particular foodstuff contains some of the non-permitted additives, whether the permitted additives detected did not exceed hygienic limits and whether the use of additives were specified on the label.

In the analyses focused on additives, infringements of obligations arising from the legal regulations related to additives were detected in 791 cases (this is the number of non-complying values detected). However, the total number of non-complying samples was lower than the figure stated, because in some samples more non-conformances were detected at the same time.

In analyses of

• synthetic dyes 361 non-conformances were detected,
• sweeteners 26 non-conformances were detected,
• preservatives 391 non-conformances were detected,
• antioxidants no non-conformance was detected,
• in analyses of other additives (e.g. acids, alkali bases, salts, flavourings and stimulants) 13 non-conformances were detected.