Using the rapid alert system for food and feed: potential benefits and problems on data interpretation

Abstract

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), where competent authorities in each Member State (MS) submit notifications on the withdrawal of unsafe or illegal products from the market, makes a significant contribution to food safety control in the European Union. The aim of this paper is to frame the potential challenges of interpreting and then acting upon the dataset contained within the RASFF system. As it is largest cause of RASFF notifications, the lens of enquiry used is mycotoxin contamination. The methodological approach is to firstly iteratively review existing literature to frame the problem, and then to interrogate the RASFF system and analyse the data available. Findings are that caution should be exercised in using the RASFF database both as a predictive tool and for trend analysis, because iterative changes in food law impact on the frequency of regulatory sampling associated with border and inland regulatory checks. The study highlights the variability of engagement by MSs with the RASFF database, influencing generalisability of the trends noted. As importing countries raise market standards, there are wider food safety implications for the exporting countries themselves. As this is one of the first studies articulating the complexities and opportunities of using the RASFF database, this research makes a strong contribution to literature.

Illicit Alcohol: Public Health Risk of Methanol Poisoning and Policy Mitigation Strategies

“…Policy measures such as implementing product testing programs as part of a wider policy initiative will identify harmful alcohol at the point of production, sale or distribution. Non-targeted product authenticity screening tests are of value as well as targeted adulterant-specific testing such as for the presence of methanol [ 76 , 77 , 78 ]. A coordinated surveillance program is required across specific trading areas such as the EU; otherwise, if one member state is contributing less to systems such as the RASFF database, or there is a variance in national arrangements of food control systems (in accordance with “Official Control Regulation”), this creates the possibility for a member state to become a “back door” for allowing illicit alcohol products to then have free movement of food within the EU [ 79 , 80 ].…”

Considering Fraud Vulnerability Associated with Credence-Based Products Such as Organic Food

“…Alternatively, 'casing' has been described as systematic combining [82], to allow for problematization [81] and is the approach followed in this study allowing for a more holistic enquiry that seeks to be exploratory, and explanatory [83]. Other studies have used intelligence derived from on-line media sources [84,85] to provide insight into existing phenomenon informing causal investigation [65]. The five cases highlight common and differentiated case characteristics and how these characteristics frame the incidents, and the wider positioning of how organic food fraud may occur [75].…”

“…Search terms such as credence AND/OR food AND/OR organic AND/OR consumer AND/OR certification AND/OR trust were used to create a snowball, iterative academic literature review [84]. The iterative search for gray and trade information on organic food fraud in Google continued using the range of search terms until data saturation was reached i.e., no further 'real-life' cases were evident in the Google searches.…”

Incidence of fraud and adulterations in ASEAN food/feed exports: A 20-year analysis of RASFF’s notifications

“…Fraud situations could lead to increased cost of international agri-food trade at both public and private levels. The various notification types and actions taken on those products are because of stringent border inspections and testing, consequently leading to increased cost of related food safety assurance [26]. In addition, food fraud promotes buyers and sellers international trade costs.…”