(RASFF) Annual Report 2009 - European Commission - Europa

Annual Report 2009
maize
Also the unauthorised GM events MIR604 and especially MON88017 were
reported more frequently in maize. EFSA adopted an opinion on 21 April 2009
on MON88017 and on 2 July 2009 on MIR604, concluding that these GM events
are unlikely to have any adverse effect on human or animal health or on the
environment in the context of their intended uses. After the publication of
these opinions, the Commission classified market notifications on the GM
events MIR604 and MON88017 as information notifications considering that
there is no serious risk associated with their presence. However, since the GM
events were still unauthorised, the non-compliances continued to be reported.
Finally, the Commission adopted Decisions on 30 October 2009 authorising
both GM events, which effectively put a stop to their reporting in the RASFF.
Heavy metals
The chart below shows that over the years an increasing number of notifications
on mercury contamination is reported.
HEAVY METALS
140
120
100
tin
mercury
lead
chromium
cadmium
arsenic
zinc
80
60
40
20
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
This increase may in part reflect the general increase in notifications but other
factors may have had an influence: e. g. increased import of fish species from
a fishing territory in which higher levels of mercury are known to be present.
Further analysis of e. g. trade and control figures would be required to draw
any conclusions from this increase in notifications.
Cadmium and mercury are reported predominantly in fishery products:
cadmium in crabs (notified by Italy) and in squid and mercury in fish, as can be
observed from the table below detailing notifications during 2009. The high
number of notifications on crustaceans highlights an identified issue with
different interpretations of EU legislation with regard to the maximum level for
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