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| Biscuits and chips made in Serbia |
The European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) has recently issued a notification regarding the discovery of a carcinogenic ingredient in a food product produced in Serbia. This revelation has raised concerns about the safety of food items circulating in the European market, which also happened with peaches and potato chips a few months ago with Serbian products.
The problematic product in question is biscuits, and the harmful substance was identified during border controls. As a result, the shipment was promptly returned to the sender, according to a report by N1.
It's essential to emphasize that the identified substance is a food coloring agent based on titanium dioxide, more commonly known as E171. The use of E171 as a food additive was banned in the European Union (EU) since August of the previous year.
The decision by the European Commission to prohibit E171 was based on growing evidence suggesting that titanium dioxide, when ingested, could lead to genotoxicity, DNA damage, and potentially increase the risk of cancer. This precautionary measure aims to protect consumers from the potential health risks associated with this substance.
It's worth noting that the affected product has not been distributed to markets within the EU, except for Croatian-speaking regions. This containment measure reflects the EU's dedication to maintaining strict safety standards for food products and ensuring that consumers are not exposed to potentially harmful additives.
The detection of this cancer-causing ingredient in a food product serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilant food safety monitoring and the role of organizations like RASFF in safeguarding public health. The incident also underscores the necessity for international cooperation and information sharing to quickly identify and address potential threats to food safety.
Consumers are urged to remain informed about food safety regulations and to check food product labels for any banned or potentially harmful additives. The incident involving E171 highlights the need for ongoing research into the safety of food additives and the importance of maintaining stringent standards to protect the health and well-being of consumers across Europe.