1.8 Could Yerba Mate Be Associated with Food Frauds?
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researches; however, the examination of adulteration features seems to show a broad
‘choice’ of alternative frauds…
By the viewpoint of official controls, some interesting news can be reported. The
EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Consumers’ Portal, publicly
available on the web (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/consumers/) has
mentioned two recent adulteration episodes concerning yerba mate in the EU:
(a) The Notification No. 2019.2199 of 17 June 2019 related to yerba mate (considered in the ‘cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee and tea’ product category) from Syria, hazard: detection of anthraquinone (unauthorised substance).
Web address: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/portal/?event=notifi
cationDetail&NOTIF_REFERENCE=2019.2199
(b) The Notification No. 2020.0380 of 24 January 2020 related to yerba mate
(considered in the ‘cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee and tea’ product
category) from Paraguay, hazard: detection of anthraquinone (unauthorised
substance). Web address: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/portal/?
event=notificationDetail&NOTIF_REFERENCE=2020.0380.
These two episodes concern potential hazards from the safety viewpoint. However,
it should be considered that:
(1) The 2019-Notification has concerned Syria as the exporting Country in the EU,
while 23 EU countries have received and/or distributed this commodity. In addition, the following non-EU countries are mentioned: Lebanon, Switzerland,
Ukraine, and Argentina (the probable origin of yerba mate)
(2) The 2020-Notification has concerned Paraguay as exporting country, and
three ‘distribution-related’ countries in the EU: Germany, Poland (notifying
Country), and Slovakia.
These two simple situations have shown that the distribution of yerba mate with
potential safety problems may be broad enough. Moreover, the 2019-Notification
showed apparently yerba mate as originated in Syria, while it is evident that this
product was only packed in Syria. The real origin was Argentina. Consequently,
there is need of accurate and reliable traceability information concerning these products, also because of the possible packaging and labelling in non-South American
Countries.
A deep analysis of selected scientific references and above-discussed RASFF
Notifications can give more than one single authenticity concern. In detail, the
following factors—authenticity menaces—can be highlighted (Crighton et al. 2019;
Kucharska-Ambro˙ zej and Karpinska 2020; Lima 2019; Marcelo et al. 2014; Porcari
et al. 2016; Poswal et al. 2019; Preti 2019; Santos et al. 2020; Schneider 2017;
Sniechowski and Paul 2008; Trentanni Hansen et al. 2019; Vieira et al. 2020):
25
researches; however, the examination of adulteration features seems to show a broad
‘choice’ of alternative frauds…
By the viewpoint of official controls, some interesting news can be reported. The
EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Consumers’ Portal, publicly
available on the web (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/consumers/) has
mentioned two recent adulteration episodes concerning yerba mate in the EU:
(a) The Notification No. 2019.2199 of 17 June 2019 related to yerba mate (considered in the ‘cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee and tea’ product category) from Syria, hazard: detection of anthraquinone (unauthorised substance).
Web address: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/portal/?event=notifi
cationDetail&NOTIF_REFERENCE=2019.2199
(b) The Notification No. 2020.0380 of 24 January 2020 related to yerba mate
(considered in the ‘cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee and tea’ product
category) from Paraguay, hazard: detection of anthraquinone (unauthorised
substance). Web address: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/portal/?
event=notificationDetail&NOTIF_REFERENCE=2020.0380.
These two episodes concern potential hazards from the safety viewpoint. However,
it should be considered that:
(1) The 2019-Notification has concerned Syria as the exporting Country in the EU,
while 23 EU countries have received and/or distributed this commodity. In addition, the following non-EU countries are mentioned: Lebanon, Switzerland,
Ukraine, and Argentina (the probable origin of yerba mate)
(2) The 2020-Notification has concerned Paraguay as exporting country, and
three ‘distribution-related’ countries in the EU: Germany, Poland (notifying
Country), and Slovakia.
These two simple situations have shown that the distribution of yerba mate with
potential safety problems may be broad enough. Moreover, the 2019-Notification
showed apparently yerba mate as originated in Syria, while it is evident that this
product was only packed in Syria. The real origin was Argentina. Consequently,
there is need of accurate and reliable traceability information concerning these products, also because of the possible packaging and labelling in non-South American
Countries.
A deep analysis of selected scientific references and above-discussed RASFF
Notifications can give more than one single authenticity concern. In detail, the
following factors—authenticity menaces—can be highlighted (Crighton et al. 2019;
Kucharska-Ambro˙ zej and Karpinska 2020; Lima 2019; Marcelo et al. 2014; Porcari
et al. 2016; Poswal et al. 2019; Preti 2019; Santos et al. 2020; Schneider 2017;
Sniechowski and Paul 2008; Trentanni Hansen et al. 2019; Vieira et al. 2020):