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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) pays attention to quality and safety of bubble teas on a continuous basis. Inspectors focus not only on beverages on sale but also on ingredients used during their production.

During an inspection at premises Bubble Tea Elephant (operator: Veronika Padrtová) on street K nemocnici in Nový Jičín, CAFIA inspectors found non-compliant beverage labelled as SIRUP BEZ CHEMICKÝCH BARVIV MANGO 30 ml + ZELENÝ JASMÍNOVÝ ČAJ 370 ml (syrup without chemical colourants – mango 30 ml + green tea 370 ml). Although the information located at the premises clearly informed consumers that the beverage in question was syrup without chemical colourants, CAFIA laboratory analysis proved presence of tartrazine, yellow colourant known as E 102.

The inspectors further took a sample of an ingredient for preparation of bubble tea labelled as  KULIČKY BEZ CHEMICKÝCH BARVIV JAHODA (bowls without chemical colourants - strawberry). However, the analysis proved presence of allura red – E129 in this ingredient as well.

Offering beverages labelled as “without chemical colourants”, while colourants were provably present in the raw material for preparation of the beverage, the operator failed to comply with the European Regulation on food labelling. CAFIA ordered the operator to bring the labelling into accord with legislation and will initiate an administrative procedure on imposition of a fine.

CAFIA informed of detaining a consignment amounting to 3.5 t with raw material for production of bubble tea in its press release of October 2016.

Article by: Mgr. Pavel Kopřiva – CAFIA Spokesperson, phone.: +420 542 426 633