Weekly Highlights at a Glance (Week 18, 2025)
Total Recalls: 91 notifications across Europe last week-an average of 13 per day.
Countries of Origin: 37 different countries involved, with France (9), Poland (8), and the United States (7) topping the list.
Top Notifying Countries: Netherlands (18), Austria (10), and France (10) were the most active in reporting.
Risk Assessment: 42% of recalls were classified as serious risks, 29% as potentially serious, and 21% as potential risk.
Most Common Issues: Salmonella, aflatoxins, unauthorized additives, foreign bodies, and pesticide residues.
Most affected products: Avocados and mangoes from Peru, exceeding pesticide limits
Weekly Food Recalls Breakdown
Key Trends & Interesting Facts
- Supplements Under Scrutiny: Food supplements with unauthorized or novel ingredients from India, the UK, and the USA made up the most frequently flagged product type, accounting for 7% of all notifications.
- Global Reach: Recalls affected products from every continent, with notable entries from Morocco (glass in blueberries), Bangladesh (cadmium in okra), and Brazil (pesticide residues in fruit).
- Not Just Food: Several notifications involved food contact materials, such as silicone baking pans and glass cups, due to chemical migration or heavy metal contamination.
Most Affected Product Categories
Fruits and vegetables dominated the recall landscape with the highest number of notifications. Other significantly affected categories included herbs and spices, dietetic foods/supplements, and nuts/seeds products. The fresh produce sector faced diverse challenges including chemical contamination (cadmium, chlorpyrifos), biological hazards (Salmonella), and physical contaminants (glass fragments). Notably, novel food ingredient violations appeared frequently in food supplements, while pesticide residues were the primary concern for fresh produce.
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Graph 1. Top 5 Product Categories with the Most RASFF Alerts
Food Recalls Related to Fresh Produce
- Yarrow herb from Croatia was found to contain Salmonella.
- Blueberries from Morocco were contaminated with glass fragments.
- Blueberries from Albania had a documentation issue, not related to food safety.
- Avocados from Peru contained Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal.
- Frozen okra from Bangladesh also tested positive for Cadmium.
- Grapes from Uzbekistan were found to contain Ochratoxin A, a harmful mycotoxin.
- Shiitake mushrooms from China were involved in a mislabelling incident.
- Fresh mangoes from Peru contained Omethoate and Imidacloprid, both unauthorized pesticides.
- Pears from Italy tested positive for Acetamiprid, a pesticide residue.
- Bananas from Peru were found with Chlorpyrifos, a potentially dangerous pesticide.
- Dried raisins from Uzbekistan had traces of Ochratoxin A, though not at critical levels.
- Dragon fruit from Vietnam showed residues of Dithiocarbamates, a pesticide class.
- Courgettes from Türkiye contained 4-CPA, an unauthorized pesticide.
- Dates from Tunisia were found with signs of insect infestation.
- Red pepper powder from Spain contained Tenuazonic acid, a type of mycotoxin.
- Baby spinach from Italy contained excessive nitrates, though not at harmful levels.
Geographical Patterns in Food Safety Recalls: A Closer Look
Recent data highlights notable geographical trends in food safety recalls within the fresh produce sector, with certain countries emerging as hotspots for specific types of hazards:
France leads the list with 9 recalls, primarily due to biological hazards. Notable incidents include the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in products such as bagnat cheese and chocolate mousse, and Salmonella contamination in pistachio powder.
Poland follows closely with 8 recalls, mostly linked to Salmonella contamination in poultry products, reflecting concerns in both meat and handling practices.
United States reported 7 recalls, primarily related to aflatoxins detected in peanuts and pistachios, highlighting ongoing mycotoxin risks in nuts.
India and Spain each reported 5 recalls.
- In India, major issues included Chlorpyrifos-ethyl and other unauthorized pesticide residues in whole and ground cumin.
- In Spain, recalls were triggered by Tenuazonic acid in red pepper powder, aflatoxins exceeding maximum levels in paprika, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in dried chili peppers.
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Graph 2. Top 5 Countries with the Most RASFF Alerts
Compliance Insights
Chemical contaminants dominated this week's recalls, with pesticide residues (particularly chlorpyrifos) and heavy metals (especially cadmium) being the most frequent violations. Alert notifications constituted 31.9% of all recalls, indicating immediate action was required in nearly a third of cases. The Netherlands was particularly active in detecting violations, issuing 18 notifications, followed by Austria and France with 10 each.
For fresh produce importers, increased vigilance is recommended for products from Peru, particularly avocados and mangoes, which showed multiple contamination issues this week.
