Eg. product name, manufacturer, dealer, ...

MENU Close

• Entrepreneurs
• Business information
• Certification
• CAFIA laboratories
• CAFIA opinions
• More information
• Consumers
• How to know the food market
• Results of CAFIA inspections
• Consumer rights
• List of risky sites
• Hoaxes
• Other visitors
• Press Releases
• Internships at CAFIA
• Public contracts

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) assessed the results of continuous microbiological monitoring carried out during 2003. Monitoring of pathogenic agents of illnesses originated in foodstuffs is based on results from previous inspections. For this reason were in preference taken and analysed problematic groups of foodstuffs such as delicatessen, patisserie and some meat products. The inspection further focused on dried mushrooms or dried and pre-cooked chilled vegetables.

These results should be therefore regarded as a monitoring which is focused on risky kinds of foodstuffs and does not generally testify to the safety of food on the Czech market.

550 samples of foodstuffs from Czech sellers and producers as well as foreign importers were put through 5 574 laboratory analyses, for example to exlude presence of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, toxins or other microorganisms.

111 samples (e.g. 20%) were proved to exceed the tolerated limits for microorganisms set by the Decree of the Ministry of Health. Unsafe samples were taken from various patisseries (tarts or cakes), delicatessen (in many cases mayonnaise salads, some soya and small meat products or dried mushrooms). These results are all related to the failure of sanitary measures in production process.

19 samples (e.g. 3,5%) were found to be unsafe: Salmonella was very often identified in dried mushrooms imported from Vietnam. This fact is also confirmed by findings of other european control bodies. According to them dried mushrooms imported from Vietnam contaminated with Salmonella have been appearing on european market since 1998. Four samples were proved to contein Listeria monocytogenes (mayonnaise salads and small uncooked meat products). Laboratory analyses did not find any single case of presence of Campylobacter or toxins.

Results of microbiological inspection of foodstuffs which are in the Czech republic put into circulation in retail outlets are in accordance with a long-term trend which lasts in this region and are at comparable level with other countries.