A Hidden Allergen Discovered in Moroccan Pasta Sold in Europe
Pasta originating from Morocco has been reported through the European food alert system RASFF. Mustard, an allergen that should have been mentioned on the label, was detected in the product.
The report was registered on August 3 by the Spanish authorities and concerns angel-hair pasta from Morocco. The presence of mustard was not declared among the product’s allergens.
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The notification appears in the category of information transmitted to the European rapid alert system RASFF, which enables member states to exchange data quickly when a food safety issue is detected.
For the majority of consumers, the presence of mustard does not in itself constitute a problem. The situation is different, however, for people with allergies, who must be able to identify this ingredient before consuming the product.
An Allergen Subject to Mandatory Labeling
Mustard is one of the allergens whose presence must be reported to consumers in the European Union. Even when used in small quantities as an ingredient, its absence from the label can therefore lead to a report by health authorities.
The notification registered by Spain is classified as an “information notification” in the RASFF. The publicly available data do not currently make it possible to establish that a general alert or a large-scale recall has been issued to consumers.
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The report comes as several food products originating from Morocco have been subject to European checks in recent months, for very different reasons ranging from pesticide residues to contaminants or labeling issues.
