Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) banned, due to Listeria monocytogenes detection, production and distribution of delicatessen at Zemědělské obchodní družstvo Ludmírov – cold meals manufacturing (Jesenec) and at Nové lahůdky Sixta (Ostrava-Kunčice).

Project entitled Enhancing the Food Law Enforcement by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) was completed.

Products concerned are being immediately withdrawn from the market, replaced by new products and the matter is being discussed with the Italian supplier who guaranteed the absence of GMO by all necessary certificates

Last week the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority received information through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed that rice with unauthorised genetic modification could occur on the Czech market.

Food originating from Asia is becoming more and more popular among Czech consumers. Traders respond to this increased demand and hence the number of shops specialised in sale of Asian foodstuffs is rising as well. However, findings of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority show that consumers should pay higher attention to information on the packaging, in particular to the recommended use and dosage.

Nutricia announces withdrawal from the market of Hami Purée Good Night with Bananas (Hami kaše na dobrou noc s banány), best before: 04.08.2009 for the reason of package confusion and thus incorrect labelling and consumer deception.

Today, food can be bought at many unusual places, for example, in pharmacies or chemists. However, time after time, consumers may happen to find food sold at flea markets. Inspectors of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority therefore set out on a well-known flea market in Prague on Kolbenova Street to check sales conditions of food.

On Thursday 20 May, some media reported that the chain store Interspar conducted a sales event during which wines from Spain and Hungary were offered in shelves marked as “Wines from Moravia, Wines from Bohemia”. According to the media, this logo also appeared on a bottle of Chardonnay from Víno Mikulov, originating in Slovakia.

Inspectors of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority have recently identified two cases of packages of organic beans some of which were mouldy present on the market. In either case, they were beans from big consignments from China, packed by PRO-BIO s.r.o.

On Thursday 15 May, Act No 120/2008 Coll., amending the Act on foodstuffs and tobacco products and the Act on the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority entered into force. The amendment lays down some new obligations on food business operators. The Inspection Authority acquired new competencies, but also obligations too.