Some media already captured the information that European regulations concerning sale of fresh fruits and vegetables have been substantially amended. It was reported that rules limiting the shape and size of fruits and vegetables would disappear and curved cucumbers would finally return to the market. However, the rules change in many other regards; some of the changes will certainly be noticed by consumers themselves.

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) in cooperation with its project partner State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic (SVFA SR) concluded project ‘Strengthening cooperation and development of nets among Czech and Slovak border regions in the domain of food control’ at the final conference in Brno today. With the conference the cross-border cooperation of regional inspectorates in Brno and Olomouc with the regional administration of SVFA SR in Žilina, Trenčín and Trnava, launched at the beginning of this year in Trenčianské Teplice, reached its climax.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority is monitoring the situation in the areas hit by floods, particularly in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Right in the field, the inspectors check the situation at flooded food business operators, both at producers and sellers. The aim is to help with elimination of flood consequences and to prevent from the distribution of the foodstuffs destroyed by water so that the health of the consumers is not threatened. The inspectors are also ready to provide the operators with recommendations concerning foodstuffs which have to be destroyed.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) carries out controls at foodstuff producers, in the trade network and in cooperation with the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic it also controls import of foodstuffs from the third countries, i. e. from the countries that are not Members of the European Union. Thanks to these controls it is possible to detain consignments of objectionable goods even before their further processing or selling to the final consumer.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority and the Customs Authorities of the CR have been cooperating during official controls of imported foodstuffs of plant origin for many years; the first mutual agreement was signed already in 1998.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) in cooperation with the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic managed another successful intervention.

Safety is the main priority of all supervisory bodies inspecting foodstuffs. Inspection of allergen labelling comes under this scope as well.

In cooperation with the Customs Authority in Prague, the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority detained a consignment of almonds originating from the USA. The consignment was detained on the borders. The reason for this was the content of aflatoxins exceeding fivefold the limits. The consignment weighing 9,5 tons contained 420 packages of natural shelled almonds.

The Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority received by the means of the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed the information that another foodstuff with proved excessive amount of melamine was distributed to our territory.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority is one of the bodies involved in the Radiation Monitoring Network in the CR controlled by the State Office for Nuclear Safety which is responsible for monitoring the occurrence of radiation both in the environment and the whole food chain.