The different types of RASFF notification
The different types of RASFF notification
Under Regulation (EU) 178/2002 Article 14, no foodstuff shall be placed on the market if it is dangerous, i.e. if it poses a risk to the consumer or is unfit for consumption. In accordance with Article 17, the food business operator is legally the first party responsible for the compliance of a foodstuff.
Any food business operator must immediately inform the competent authorities when a foodstuff it has placed on the market may be harmful to human health.
The European Food Safety Authority receives the messages circulating within the rapid alert system. The messages are analysed to provide the Commission and Member States with all the information needed for risk analysis.
The European rapid alert system (RASFF) for notifying a direct or indirect risk to human health arising from food or feed is established as a network.
Below are the three main types of RASFF notifications:
– ALERT notifications are sent when a food posing a serious risk to health is on the market and rapid action is required. The RASFF member who identifies the problem and takes the relevant measures (for example, product withdrawal) triggers the alert. The purpose of the notification is to give all RASFF members the information needed to confirm whether the product in question is on their market, so that they can also take the necessary measures.
– INFORMATION notifications are used when a risk has been identified in food or feed placed on the market, but other members do not need to take rapid action because the product has not reached their market, is no longer present on their market, or because the nature of the risk does not require rapid action.
– BORDER REJECTION notifications concern the rejection of a batch, container or consignment of food or feed that has been tested and rejected at the EU’s external borders (and the European Economic Area – EEA) when a health risk has been identified. The notifications are sent to all EEA border posts to strengthen controls and ensure that the rejected product cannot enter the EU through another border post.
EU notifications can be viewed on the RASFF portal.
In addition, our Regulatory Watch department publishes on our website every Monday the EU notifications issued during the week, together with the associated regulatory limits.
For any regulatory information, please contact us.
