2008 there was further confirmation samples

29.09.2009

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RAFF), an important EU instrument to ensure food safety, 30 years and is as efficient as ever. The RASFF system can receive information quickly and effectively be exchanged between Member States and the Commission if the food and feed chain is a risk to human health is identified.

2008 there was further acid tests for the alert system, as some of the most serious incidents have been discovered in recent years. This was one of the detection of oil in sunflower oil from Ukraine (39 affected countries, 99 follow-up messages), "Messages of melamine in foods from China (incident global scale, 84 RASFF-M and 101 follow-up messages) and dioxins in pork from Ireland (54 affected countries and 230 follow-up messages).

In RASFF 2008 Annual Report we read of a total of 528 warnings and 1 138 information messages, and there were 1 377 persons refused entry at the border. Alerts are sent when the food or feed, posing a risk is already on the market and immediate action is required.

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