Category Archives: Mycotoxin

Belgium – Whole rice flour (400g) from the SMAAKT brand – Aflatoxin

Posted on November 27, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Recall from the AFSCA
Product: Whole rice flour (400g) from the SMAAKT brand
Problem: Too high aflatoxin content

Following a notification via the RASFF system (European Food and Feed rapid alert system), the FASFC withdraws from sale the product “Whole rice flour” (400g) of the SMAAKT brand due to too high a content. in aflatoxin.

Please do not consume this product and return it to the point of sale where it was purchased.

Product description:

– Product name: Whole rice flour
– Brand: Smaakt
– Batches and dates of minimum durability (DDM):
Batch code DDM
55B3123 04-05-2024
54A3323 17-5-2024
53B3523 30-5-2024
51A3623 04-06-2024
– Nature of packaging: sachet
– Weight: 400g

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Posted in Aflatoxin, afsca, Aspergillus Toxin, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin

Research – Qatar team identifies way to inhibit mycotoxin growth in fish feed

Posted on November 25, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Feed Navigator

Qatar based researchers say the findings of their study indicate that aquaculture feed imports from some Asian and European countries can be contaminated with moderate levels of mycotoxins.

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Posted in Animal Feed Mould/Mold, Food Microbiology Research, mold, Mold Toxin, Mould/Mold, Mycotoxin, Research

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Groundnuts – Peanuts- Dried Figs – Pistachios – Whole Grain Rice Flour – Cheese Spread

Posted on November 24, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Aflatoxin in blanched groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in groundnut kernels from the United States in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in peanuts in shell (Arachis Hypogeae) from Egypt in Italy

RASFF

Aflatoxins (B1, B2,G1,G2) in raw groundnuts from the USA in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in dried figs from Türkiye in Italy

RASFF

Aflatoxins in pistachios from Iran in Germany

RASFF

Aflatoxin in organic whole grain rice flour from the Netherlands in Belgium and Germany

RASFF

Aflatoxin M1 in in cheese spread from Serbia in Croatia

RASFF

Aflatoxin B1 in Groundnuts from the USA in the Netherlands

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin m1, Aspergillus Toxin, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF

France – Espelette pepper powder AOP – Aflatoxin

Posted on November 23, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Herbs and spices
Product brand name
Our Regions have Talent
Model names or references
Espelette pepper powder AOP – NRT – 40g
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3564709030395 22P2272/1 22P2272/2 22P2272/3 Recommended consumption date 12/31/2024
Packaging
Glass – 40g
Start/end date of marketing
From 01/13/2023 to 01/13/2023
Storage temperature
Product to be stored at room temperature
Further information
Batch number indicated on the white capsule
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
Scamark

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aspergillus Toxin, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Dried Figs

Posted on November 17, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Aflatoxin in dried figs from Türkiye in Bulgaria

RASFF

Aflatoxin in dried figs from Türkiye in Bulgaria and Sweden

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aspergillus Toxin, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, food safety training, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF

RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin A – Organic Ground Coffee – Dried Figs

Posted on November 17, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Too much Ochratoxin A in organic ground coffee from Kenya in Finland

RASFF

High content of ochratoxin A in dried figs from Turkey in Italy

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mould/Mold, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A, RASFF

Biocontrol training in Pakistan helps farmers prevent harmful aflatoxins in chillies

Posted on November 16, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

KRISHAK JAGAT

Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest producer of chillies. The country accounts for around 4-5% of global chilli production. Sindh province is where 85% of Pakistan’s chillies are grown, making it one of the biggest chilli-producing regions worldwide. The province is well-known for the town of Kunri, home of the world-famous Dundicut red chillies.

But here, chilli growers face significant agricultural challenges that threaten their livelihoods. One of the biggest problems they face is aflatoxin contamination of their crops.

CABI has teamed up with several organizations to address the issue including:

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Rafhan Maize Products Co. Ltd
The organizations are working together on an important project in Pakistan on regulatory harmonization for maximum residue limits and biopesticides. What sets this project apart is its focus on addressing aflatoxins. Uniquely, it explores the use of a unique biocontrol technology at farm level to reduce aflatoxins in red chillies.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aspergillus, Aspergillus Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould/Mold, Mycotoxin

Hong Kong – Liver-damaging Aflatoxins found in peanut butter, with two brands exceeding EU limit

Posted on November 15, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

The Standard HK

A Consumer Council’s test on 20 samples of peanut butter found that 60 percent of them contain aflatoxins, a substance that could damage liver function. The test also found the aflatoxin B1 levels of two samples exceeded the upper limit of European Union standards.

The consumer watchdog said the two samples found with aflatoxin B1 levels exceeding the EU limit are Fuyuan’s Peanut Butter and YOWE’s Peanut Butter Creamy.

The two samples contained aflatoxin B1 at levels of 4.27μg and 2.01μg respectively, which exceeded the EU limit of 2.0μg. The total aflatoxins level of Fuyuan’s Peanut Butter of 4.94μg also exceeded the EU limit of 4.0μg.

The watchdog warned that aflatoxins could cause acute and chronic poisoning in animals and humans, and could lead to acute liver damage, cirrhosis, cancer and even death.

It said it has referred the information of the relevant samples to the Centre for Food Safety for follow-up.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, Aspergillus Toxin, Food Microbiology Research, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Research

Research – Risks for animal health related to the presence of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in feed

Posted on November 12, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

In 2004, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) adopted a Scientific Opinion on the risks to animal health and transfer from feed to food of animal origin related to the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in feed. The European Commission requested EFSA to assess newly available scientific information and to update the 2004 Scientific Opinion. OTA is produced by several fungi of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. In most animal species it is rapidly and extensively absorbed in the gastro‐intestinal tract, binds strongly to plasma albumins and is mainly detoxified to ochratoxin alpha (OTalpha) by ruminal microbiota. In pigs, OTA has been found mainly in liver and kidney. Transfer of OTA from feed to milk in ruminants and donkeys as well as to eggs from poultry is confirmed but low. Overall, OTA impairs function and structure of kidneys and liver, causes immunosuppression and affects the zootechnical performance (e.g. body weight gain, feed/gain ratio, etc.), with monogastric species being more susceptible than ruminants because of limited detoxification to OTalpha. The CONTAM Panel considered as reference point (RP) for adverse animal health effects: for pigs and rabbits 0.01 mg OTA/kg feed, for chickens for fattening and hens 0.03 mg OTA/kg feed. A total of 9,184 analytical results on OTA in feed, expressed in dry matter, were available. Dietary exposure was assessed using different scenarios based on either model diets or compound feed (complete feed or complementary feed plus forage). Risk characterisation was made for the animals for which an RP could be identified. The CONTAM Panel considers that the risk related to OTA in feed for adverse health effects for pigs, chickens for fattening, hens and rabbits is low.