It has been more than a year since consignments of the thickening agent E412 (guar gum) originating from India contaminated by pentachlorophenol and dioxins appeared on the European market. In connection with this incident, the European Commission tightened up the import of guar gum from India – each batch must be accompanied by an analytical report from an accredited laboratory proving that the product does not pose a threat to human health. The report is then reviewed and endorsed by a representative of the competent enforcement authority, which is, in the Czech Republic, the Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection (CAFIA).

Inspectors of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) suspended sale of one batch of dried apple rings from the company K-Servis Praha a. s. due to mouldy pieces and dead parasites detection in individual packages.

Infants and children up to the age of 3 years are considered to be a sensitive consumer group, thus food intended for them is subjected to specific requirements on safety, quality, and labelling. The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority pays high attention to checks of observance of these requirements. In this year, the Inspection Authority has already assessed 255 samples of baby snacks, food, and drinks. All sorts of snacks, food (vegetable based, meat-vegetable based, soups, etc.), and drinks sampled were both Czech and foreign origin. Also bio snacks sold in certain drugstores were assessed.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) recently found misleadingly labelled milk on the market which failed to comply with the information given on the labelling.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) forbade production of spirits in company LIHO Blanice Co., Ltd last week. This is due to laboratory analyses´ results which proved excessive amount of dangerous methanol in several samples from production of this company. As an extensive case is concerned, representatives of the Customs Office in Tábor were also invited to the control.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority keeps making effort to reveal adulterated foodstuffs or cases of deceiving consumers. Both practices lead to the fact that foodstuffs pretending to be something they are not occur on the market and consumers have not many chances how to identify them. Based upon experience from previous controls, CAFIA focused its attention on control of jams and marmalades.

The Customs Authorities warned last week the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority of a consignment of jelly sweets from Vietnam. Prague company TY ASIA FOOD, s.r.o. attempted to import it to the CR. During the check of the consignment, inspectors found that it contained 365 kg of jelly in plastic cups of various fruit flavours. All batches contained jelling substance carrageenan (E407). However, the European Commission has already in 2004 issued a Decision which bans sale and import of jelly in shape of mini-cups containing additives produced from seaweeds and certain gums. Carrageenan falls into this category. From this reason, CAFIA did not release the consignment to the CR.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority received through the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed information that soy sauce originating from Vietnam containing exceeded levels of 3-MCPD (3-monochlorophane-1,2-diol) could appear on the Czech market. The limit laid down by legislation is 20 micrograms per one kilogram, however, laboratory tests revealed that the sauce in question contained 75,5 micrograms per one kilogram.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority forbade, due to Listeria monocytogenes detection, production at Nové lahůdky Sixta (Ostrava-Kunčice) and at Zemědělské obchodní družstvo Ludmírov – cold meals manufacturing (Jesenec) last week.

What to do when an inspection authority reveals that a Czech company is distributing a dangerous food abroad? Where shall the authority find specific information when scaremongering concerning Italian production and distribution of the so-called recycled cheese is going on? This is exactly the situation when the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is to be used. In this system, centrally managed by the European Commission, all the EU Member States are engaged.