The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority in cooperation with the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic seized two consignments of Brazil nuts from Bolivia, even before the entry on the European market. CAFIA inspectors took samples of both consignments into laboratories in order to determine the levels of aflatoxins. In both cases limits of aflatoxins set by the legislation were severalfold exceeded, therefore the inspection issued a binding position not allowing to release the nuts into free circulation. Aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by some sorts of moulds.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority has already many times warned of the obligation of producers to indicate the presence of allergens on the food packaging. This year, CAFIA has already warned for example against rice flour with undeclared gluten, filled peppers and raisins which both contained undeclared sulphur dioxide. Waffles of which labelling failed to indicate peanuts were also withdrawn from the market.

Foodstuffs may reach consumers in different ways: These days foodstuffs are commonly sold in tobacco shops, drugstores, clothes shops, by means of the Internet or at various sales presentations. Foodstuffs are often offered for free, for example within sales promotion or as a present to the purchased goods. However, these foodstuffs also have to comply with the requirements of the legislation, namely as far as hygiene and food safety are concerned.

Water in flooded areas is subsiding slowly and so the time of cleaning and removal of losses is coming. In this connection, the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority reminds the rules for safe handling foodstuffs.

Similarly to previous years, also this year CAFIA published the Report on Results of Planned Foreign Substances Inspection in Foodstuffs in 2009 on its websites. The results of pesticide residue analyses in organic food were interpreted by some media totally erroneously and in a misleading way. Therefore we consider it desirable to provide our opinion in this matter.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority banned marketing of two products of which labelling failed to indicate sulfur dioxide even though they contained it.

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority launched administrative proceedings with the company NaturaMed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. which distributes three sorts of food supplements by means of mail order sale, internet shopping and telemarketing in the Czech and Slovak Republic.

Last year's regular inspection of half-fermented wine brought a great surprise. In total, ten samples of adulterated half-fermented wine were detected of which six originated from one company, namely company E.S.E., s.r.o. based in Miroslav.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority banned production of company TOTO – production of delicatessen products, s.r.o based in Česká Skalice, as laboratory analyses revealed presence of bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in its products. Namely, the product in question was Rumcajs Salad (packaged in plastic cups a 140 g, use-by date 2. 5. 2010).

Cereals containing gluten, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, peanuts, milk, soya, mustard, celery, fish, crustaceans, eggs, etc. – there are allegies to all of these foodstuffs. People suffering from them have to accommodate their diet to limit in it or exclude from it completely the foodstuff, they are allergic to.