Recalls up in Switzerland, but down for Belgium in 2023

Switzerland has reported an increase in the number of warnings and recalls in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) published 17 public warnings and 73 recalls for food, compared to nine public warnings and 39 recalls in 2022. Recalls are carried out by companies and public warnings are made by Swiss authorities.

In 2023, most public warnings or recalls of food related to contamination by pathogenic microorganisms. There were 18 recalls and nine public warnings. Listeria was detected twelve times, seven alerts were due to Salmonella, six to E. coli and two to Bacillus cereus.

Foreign objects ranked second with 16 recalls, including metal particles, glass pieces and plastic parts. A dozen recalls were due to mycotoxins and four to pesticide residues.

Allergens led to seven recalls and four public warnings. Two of the four warnings related to the detection of black milk, and in the other two cases to the presence of undeclared nuts.

Product types and RASFF data

Several types of products were the subject of public warnings or recalls, most commonly for the categories “milk and dairy products,” “herbs and spices,” and “other/mixed foods.”

Milk and dairy products have been the cause of a dozen warnings and recalls due to pathogens. The ‘Other Foods’ category caused 10 recalls related to foreign objects. Seven mycotoxin warnings were due to herbs and spices. Cereals and grain-based products triggered three allergen warnings and recalls.

The total number of notifications via the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) increased to 4,684, compared to 4,340 in 2022.

Switzerland may become involved when potentially unsafe products have been distributed to the country, when it is the country of origin of the product concerned or when company or official controls reveal a problem.

The number concerning Switzerland remained stable at 232. The country published 83 reports and was the origin of the affected product in 17 reports.

Recalls in Belgium

Meanwhile, Belgian food companies recalled 254 products from consumers in 2023, compared to 289 recalls the year before.

In 2023 there were also 85 warnings, mainly due to undeclared allergens in products or an incorrect date on the packaging. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) helps companies inform consumers who may have purchased recalled products.

More than eight in ten recalls were the result of the detection of a chemical or microbiological risk. Nearly half of the products were recalled due to a chemical risk, such as excessive levels of pesticide residues or the presence of an undeclared additive.

The possible presence of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella or E. coli has caused more than a third of product recalls. In total, 17 percent of alerts were due to foreign objects such as pieces of metal or glass.

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