- EU-RASFF. The European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications for nuts and peanuts for feed increased by 5% and 127%, respectively, from 2017. On the contrary, notifications for dried fruits decreased by 12%. The presence of aflatoxins remained as the main reason for notifying nuts and peanuts for feed. Ochratoxin A became the main reason for notifying dried fruits. The most notified edible nuts were peanuts, followed by pistachios and hazelnuts. Dried figs, dried grapes and dried apricots were the most notified dried fruits.
- USA. Notifications for edible nuts remained stable with respect to 2017. The edible nut with the higher number of notifications was the peanut (10 not.). Misbranding (33% of total) was the main reason for notifying edible nuts, followed by aflatoxins (24%) and filthy (13%). On the other hand, the number of notifications for dried fruits increased by 24%, reaching 79 notifications. Raisins were the most notified dried fruits (36 not.) followed by dates (18 not.) and prunes (13 not). As in 2017, filthy (42%), pesticide (20%) and misbranding (15%) were the main reasons for notifying dried fruits.
- Japan. Notifications for edible nuts and dried fruits slightly decreased by 6% with respect to 2017 (from 136 to 128 not.). Almond was the most notified nut (46 not.), instead of peanuts as in the previous years. Peanuts ranked the second most notified nuts (33 not.), followed by pistachios (16 not.) and dried figs (14 not.). The main reason for notifying edible nuts and dried fruits was still the presence of aflatoxins (93% of total).
- Australia. Australia published 45 notifications for nuts and dried fruits in 2018 -double than last year, and the highest number of the last eight years. The most notified nuts were peanut products, with 20 notifications, followed by peanuts, with 11 notifications. The main reason for notifying edible nuts and dried fruits was the presence aflatoxins (82% of the total).