EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Notifications (Week 31, 2024)

According to the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notification in Week 31 of 2024, Chinese food and related products have encountered safety warnings on the EU market. This situation highlights the importance of strict compliance with the food safety standards and regulations of the exporting country in globalized trade.

In this notification, France reported a food safety incident involving green tea. This batch of green tea was found to contain a variety of pesticide residues beyond the EU standard, which undoubtedly poses a potential threat to the health of consumers. Fortunately, the products in question had been sealed up by French customs before they entered the market circulation to prevent possible health risks.

The Belgian notification addressed compliance with food labelling. A batch of samosas may have been eaten by people allergic to wheat because they were not clearly labelled as containing wheat, breaching EU food labelling regulations. In this regard, this batch of products have been voluntarily recalled by the local distributor to protect consumer rights.

Furthermore, the case reported in Malta reminds us that the safety of food contact materials cannot be ignored. A batch of food contact materials with unauthorized use of wheat straw as raw material was notified, which may lead to food contamination during use. Similarly, this batch was withheld by Maltese authorities prior to market release, preventing possible food safety issues.

These incidents are a wake-up call for Chinese exporters, who must strictly abide by the food safety standards and regulations of importing countries to ensure that their products, from raw materials to production processes to labels, meet international standards. At the same time, enterprises should strengthen self-supervision and conduct regular pesticide residue testing to avoid the export of products due to illegal use of pesticides or other non-compliance behaviors, which will affect the reputation and economic interests of enterprises.

Food safety is the focus of global concern, and no country or region can take it lightly. As an important food exporter in the world, China should take this as an opportunity to improve the level of food safety management, so as to ensure that 'made in China' food wins the trust of consumers in the international market.