A new major food recall involves numerous lots of sultanas sold in various large-scale retail chains, including Eurospin and Todis. The alert, distributed via the Ministry of Health portal, concerns a risk of a chemical nature and has led to the recall of several products packaged under different brands but attributable, in several cases, to the same production chain.
This is a precautionary recall, but it involves a substance that has been monitored at European level for some time, namely ochratoxin A, which could be present in quantities exceeding the limits permitted by European legislation. We are talking about a mycotoxin that can develop naturally in some plant foods during non-optimal storage or drying phases, due to specific molds.
Ochratoxin A is considered a substance of particular concern for public health; scientific studies associate it with toxic effects on the body and a possible carcinogenic potential. Prolonged exposure or exposure to high doses can be problematic, also due to possible effects on the gastrointestinal system and kidneys.
The recalled products
From the information reported in the alert sheets, an important element emerges: a large part of the products involved could be traced back to the same raw material and the same packaging plant, located in Campania.
The plant involved is that of Mocerino Frutta Secca Srl, based in Somma Vesuviana (Naples), which would have supplied sultanas then distributed under various large-scale retail trade brands. This explains why the recall affects products with different labels but with partly coinciding batches.
Here are all the recalled products, in different formats (from 70 g up to 500 g) and marketed with distribution brands and private labels:
What consumers should do
As always in these cases, the Ministry of Health recommends not consuming the products belonging to the reported batches.
Anyone who has purchased one of the affected packages can return it to the point of sale to obtain a refund or replacement, even without a receipt, according to the methods established by the individual chains.
