Smoked salmon, cheeses, cold meats… Four questions about recalls of food products potentially dangerous to health

Be careful what you take out of the fridge for holiday meals. A batch of sliced ​​smoked salmon from Norway, distributed by wholesalers, is the subject of a recall due to the possible presence of listeria bacteria, which can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women, reports the government site Rappel Conso.

This platform, which alerts about these dangerous products in circulation, is particularly active: for the single day of December 22, 2023, cars, halal cold cuts, chorizo, a decorative elf, cleansing milk and even cheeses were recalled. . But who makes the decision? Why are the alerts so frequent? How are consumers notified? Here are some answers to prevent a festive meal from turning into a real nightmare.

What is a food alert?

The food alert establishes an anomaly in a food. It’s about a “non-conformity of the product”, which potentially represents a danger for consumers, specifies the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. This alert generally occurs following self-checks by professionals or checks carried out by health authorities. Sometimes, the analysis is received after the product has been placed on the market. The appearance of sick people is also an alert factor. The detection of grouped cases thus makes it possible to decide on investigations to find the cause.

The Ministry of Health via its operational center for the regulation and response to health and social emergencies (CORRUSS), the regional health agencies (ARS), Public Health France (SpF) but also the laboratories are coordinated to bring together information. The Health Emergencies Mission (MUS) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty then plays the role of conductor, which coordinates operational preparation and central alert management. Note that the MUS is also the contact point for the European (RASFF -Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) and international (INFOSAN) health alert systems in the food sector.

Product withdrawal, product recall: what’s the difference?

The objectives of an alert are multiple. Interrupting the consumer’s exposure to the product on store shelves: this is the withdrawal of the product. Inform the consumer who has already purchased the product so that they do not consume it and if they have already consumed it, that they can talk to their doctor: this is the product recall. It is also necessary to prevent the situation from recurring, for example, by putting in place appropriate measures within the producing company. The Directorate General for Food (DGAL) then relies on regional and departmental services to manage alerts. This involves carrying out traceability investigations on suspect products and identifying the batches concerned. The composition of the product, the origin of the ingredients and the path taken by the batches are verified.

Inspections take place in the companies concerned to guarantee a return to a satisfactory level of health safety. Samples are taken from raw materials, samples of suspect finished products or from remains made available by patients.

Posters in stores, calls to buyers: what obligations?

When a food has been placed on the market and it presents a danger, it must be removed. If it has already started to be sold to consumers and they are likely to consume it, the product is also subject to a recall.

Recalls are published on the Rappelconso website. They must make it possible to precisely identify the product: its name, the brand(s) under which it is sold as well as the different batches concerned. It is the operators who enter the recall information directly on the site and the sheets are published after validation by the authorities.

This information complements other information biases to target the consumer concerned as closely as possible. The posters must be placed in stores in a visible manner for two weeks for fresh products and two months for long-life products. When possible, the store notifies the consumer directly by email or telephone. Sometimes it is considered necessary to issue a press release when the product is causing cases dangerous to human health.

Are food scares becoming more and more frequent?

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, there have been no more food scares in recent years. On the other hand, the efforts undertaken recently allow better visibility of these recalls, particularly since the commissioning of the Rappelconso site in 2021.

Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, the installation of new businesses, the development of new products and new modes of consumption “can generate new dangers.” The ministry specifies that standards evolve accompanying progress and changes in practices and that alerts are the “witness an active and vigilant control system.”