2016 EU RASFF Notifications for Nuts and Dried Fruits

In 2016, the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued a total of 514 notifications including edible nuts (364 not.), dried fruits (131 not.), mixtures of nuts and dried fruits (11 not.) and peanuts for feed (8 not.). This result means an increase of 5.8% compared with 2015, when a total of 486 notifications were registered. By category, the number of RASFF notifications for edible nuts slightly increased by 3.7% compared with 2015; notifications for dried fruits rose by 8.2%. The presence of aflatoxins remained as the main reason for notifying nuts. Sulphites became the main reason for notifying dried fruits.The most notified edible nuts were peanuts, with 178 notifications, followed by pistachios (102 not.) and hazelnuts (49 not.). As in previous years, the main reason for notifying edible nuts were the presence of aflatoxins (86%). By country of origin, the most frequently notified edible nuts were peanuts form China (16%), pistachios from Iran (15%) and pistachios from Turkey (9%). In 2015, pistachios from USA were the third most notified product/country (30 not.), however, in 2016, the number of notifications went down to 13. On the other hand, the number of notifications for peanuts from China decreased by 46% with respect to 2015. On the contrary, the number of notifications for peanuts from USA (30 not.) and from Egypt (30 not.) increased in 2016.As for dried fruits, dried figs (57 not.), dried grapes (38 not.) and dried apricots (34 not.) were still the most notified. As in 2015, the main reasons for notifying were sulphites (36%), aflatoxins (34%) and Ochratoxin A (19%). Dried figs and dried apricots from Turkey were still the most notified, representing 41% and 23%, respectively, of the total notifications. The number of notifications for dried grapes from Uzbekistan (13%) and from Iran (7%) notably increased compared with previous years.The RASFF exchanges information within EU Member States about measures taken in response to serious risks detected in relation to food or feed. INC collects and classifies the RASFF notifications for nuts (including peanuts for feed) and dried fruits intended for food published on the RASFF web page, by product, country of origin, notifying country and type of notification.2016 Border Rejections Report