Concern Over Aflatoxins in Almonds Grows in the EU

The Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Murcia (Fecoam) recently called for an increase in the number of controls in European territory to manage the entry of almonds from the U.S., following the detection by the European Rapid Alert Network for Food and Feed (RASFF) of a consignment with aflatoxin levels three times higher than permitted by EU legislation.

It is necessary to increase resources to carry out exhaustive controls to prevent the entry of almonds contaminated with aflatoxin, as this “poses a serious risk to the health of consumers,” the federation stated.

29.3 µg/kg of the fungus was detected in almonds, compared to the European Union limit of 10 µg/kg. According to the RASFF alert portal, up to 18 alerts of varying severity related to nuts originating in the U.S. were issued in August and September.

“We are calling for even stricter controls at ports and customs in Spain and throughout the European Union when it comes to monitoring the entry of almonds, pistachios, and other nuts from the U.S.,” Pedro Guerrero, head of the Fecoam sector, said.

As explained by Fecoam, aflatoxins are mycotoxins that are produced and proliferate in humid conditions. Spanish almonds, particularly those from the Region of Murcia, are produced on dry land and harvested directly from the tree, ensuring optimal conditions for human consumption and high nutritional value.

MASS CULTIVATION

In contrast, almonds produced in the U.S. are cultivated extensively with large amounts of water for mass production, and without the phytosanitary restrictions that European producers face. When stored in inadequate conditions, with very high humidity levels, this leads to the development of high levels of aflatoxins, which persist throughout the process of being transported in containers for import until they reach Europe.

“It is necessary to raise awareness among authorities and society about the danger posed by the entry of nuts from the U.S. containing aflatoxins,” Guerrero said, “due to the high health risk posed by consuming this product, which can reach levels two to three times higher than those permitted in Europe.”

The U.S. leads the world in almond production, with a share of nearly 80%, while Spain is the leading producer in Europe.

CONTROLS AT SOURCE

As the European Union itself explains, the maximum levels of aflatoxins, analysis and sampling methods, import conditions, and border control posts are established in various Commission regulations.

When importing American almonds, there is a pre-export control mechanism for this product from the US. Thus, European regulations establish that pre-export controls carried out by a third country on feed and food may be approved immediately before export to the Union, in order to verify that the exported products meet EU requirements.

In other words, this EU approval of pre-export controls means that they replace or reduce documentary, identity, and physical controls on imports upon entry into EU territory.

“We once again call for strict controls on the entry of North American almonds,” as the reported cases demonstrate the seriousness of the situation, insists Fecoam.

“We have been warning about the danger posed by aflatoxins for many years, and we are demanding that the competent authorities of the Spanish government, on the one hand, and the EU, on the other, increase controls on the entry of this product, immobilizing those unfit for human consumption.”

Thus, Fecoam is calling on the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas; the Minister of Health, Mónica García; and the Minister of Finance, in charge of Customs in Spain, María Jesús Montero, to use all available means to carry out the necessary controls and analyses and, to the extent possible, prevent the entry into national territory of a product as harmful to health as this one.

Likewise, the federation calls on the government to process this request and to promptly submit it to the European authorities.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has repeatedly assessed the health risk posed by the presence of high levels of aflatoxins in food. All studies conducted demonstrate their genotoxic and carcinogenic nature, increasing the risk of cancer associated with their presence in almonds, pistachios, and peanuts, among other nuts.

DUTY-FREE ENTRY

Fecoam points out that, in addition to the risk of aflatoxins, there is the recent trade agreement reached between the European Union and the U.S., which liberalizes the entry of American nuts, while imposing a 15% tariff on Spanish products for entry into the North American market.

“We are facing unfair and unequal competition with products that can arrive tariff-free en masse, and which can also pose health risks,” which is “a real attack on our farms and farmers, on the one hand, and also puts all consumers at risk.”