Seafood products notifications in the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database: Data analysis during the period 2011–2015

Abstract

Through the analysis of the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal, this study aimed at highlighting the most relevant noncompliance affecting seafood and explore possible relationships between variables characterizing notified products. Trends in RASFF notifications can be useful to improve controls and audits of official authority and the safety management of fishery products from Food Business Operators. During the five-year period analyzed (2011–2015), 16304 original notifications were logged on the RASFF database, of which 16.6% (2713) involved seafood. Seafood notifications were issued in most of the cases by Italy (35.7%) and Spain (19.3%) that were also the countries with the highest number of notified products (15.37%), followed by Vietnam and Morocco. Notifications were mainly triggered during official control activities on the market (43%) and border checks (42.8%) and in the 39.3% of cases they were classified as serious. The first two reasons that led to notifications were non-compliant content of heavy metals (fish and cephalopods) and pathogenic microorganisms (bivalve molluscs). At border level, seafood was rejected in 37% of cases, especially (41.1%) because of poor temperature control, unsuitable transport conditions or fraudulent/absence of health certificate. Patterns emerged in this study give a and 'up-to-date' evidence of those that are current issues of the sector. However, even though the RASFF represent a useful “data mine” essential for risk assessment process, limitation arises since, despite the legal obligation for all members, regulatory non-compliant products are not always notified.