Contaminated vitamin preparations found in animal feed
Illegal vitamins with genetically modified bacteria found in animal feed - Hundreds of thousands of tons of feed probably affected across the EU - European Food Safety Authority warns of health risks for consumers.
Banned vitamin preparations from China, which contain genetically modified, viable Bacteria are used on a large scale in animal feed via a Dutch importer, and thus in the Food Chain has reached Europe. Switzerland is also affected. This is according to data from the European Authorities Rapid Alert System RASFF, published by Belgium. The banned substance is vitamin B2, also known as "riboflavin 80%," which is used as an additive in feed for farm animals. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the genetically modified organisms contained in the vitamin pose a risk to consumers because, among other things, they contain antibiotic-resistant genes.
EU Commission ignores spread of antibiotic resistance through illegal feed additives
German and British authorities had already identified similar contamination of B2 vitamins with genetically modified bacteria not approved in the EU in 2014 and informed the EU. However, the EU Commission did not officially ban the use of the vitamin until September 2018 - at the same time, however, the EU is allowing farmers to continue feeding their animals feed already produced with the contaminated vitamin mixture for another six months, until April 2019. The consumer organization foodwatch criticized the EU's action as a clear violation of European genetic engineering law and the precautionary principle enshrined in food law.
"It is shocking how the EU Commission not only ignores the health risks of genetically modified organisms, but also accepts the completely unnecessary spread of antibiotic resistance through illegal feed additives for years - although the EU officially presents itself as a champion against antibiotic resistance. When it comes to money, the EU Commission, despite explicit warnings from the European Food Safety Authority, apparently has no problem with the fact that genetically modified bacteria capable of reproduction, which are also resistant to antibiotics, are fed to Europe's cattle herds.„, explained Matthias Wolfschmidt, campaign director of foodwatch International.
At least eight tons affected - no information to the public
According to information from foodwatch, at least eight tons of the vitamin B2 preparation contaminated with genetically modified bacteria - and thus illegal - have reached Europe this year from China via the Dutch feed manufacturer Trouw Nutrition. This allowed hundreds of thousands of tons of animal feed to be produced. Authorities in the affected EU countries, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, are currently quietly recalling stocks of the contaminated feed. Meanwhile, the public has not been informed, as foodwatch criticized.
The incident could go back a long way: Authorities in Germany and England had already identified similar contamination of vitamin B2 with illegal genetically modified bacteria in 2014 and warned other member states about it via the European authority warning system RASFF. In October 2016, experts from the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and other EU authorities conducted a joint investigation, which concluded that the feed in question should not have been sold. However, no action was taken at the time to withdraw the vitamin B2 preparation or feed manufactured with it from the market. Instead, in August 2016, the European Commission had asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to issue a new opinion on the safety of riboflavin 80%. On March 7, 2018, EFSA concluded that the additive poses a risk to "the target species, consumers, users and the environment." The EU Commission did not officially ban the illegal vitamin additive until September 19, 2018. However, it will allow the feeding of animal feed produced with it and thus contaminated - presumably many thousands of tons - until April 2019.
The contaminated feed, according to the European Rapid Alert System delivered to 20 European countries. According to information from foodwatch, it took several weeks before Dutch authorities were able to trace the delivery routes. The French daily newspaper Le Monde estimates that at least 150 tons of feed have been contaminated with the dangerous vitamin additive in France alone.
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