AVA-ASAJA reports surge in food safety alerts for imported produce

The Valencian Association of Farmers and Ranchers (AVA-ASAJA) has denounced a period of high food safety alerts during August, involving various imported fruits and vegetables. The organization reported numerous detections of pesticide residues, mycotoxins, metals, and viruses in products arriving from third countries.

Specific concerns were raised regarding products from Egypt and Turkey. The European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notified cases of Egyptian mangoes containing multiple pesticide residues, such as chlorpyrifos and clothianidin, as well as norovirus in Egyptian strawberries. In Turkey, detections included aflatoxins in dried figs and organic apricots, along with various pesticide residues in peppers and peaches.

Other reported incidents include chlorfenapyr in sun-dried tomatoes from Tunisia, cadmium in avocados from Peru, pesticide residues in raisins from Iran, and clothianidin in Basmati rice from Pakistan. AVA-ASAJA is calling on the European Union to increase border inspection levels to prevent the entry of unsafe food imports.