Abstract:

The European consumer must benefit from safe, affordable, and logistically available food products. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is a key tool in ensuring the traceability and withdrawal of non-compliant products sold on the European market. The paper contains a presentation and an analysis of the RASFF notifications given in 2021 at European level, highlighting those related to the Romanian market. The growing demand for food leads to an increase in imports, including the arrival of non-compliant products in terms of food safety and quality. The European legislation differs from the one in third countries, particularly in the field of the additives used and technological treatments allowed. The research carried out showed an increase in the number of food safety alerts for food products sold in Romania, amid a significant increase in imports. The products imported from non-European countries, with an inadequate food legislation or not in line with the European rules, are most often targeted by RASFF notifications. Alert notifications and information for attention notifications were the most common during the assessed period. In Romania, in 2021 most non-compliant products were from the non-animal area, the situation being similar in the case of the products recalled from the market. The conducted study is part of our doctoral research, providing the basis for a broader assessment of the safety of food sold on the internal market. The results of the research can be useful to the researchers in the food field and the business environment - in view of adapting to the legal regulations in force, and to the authorities - in view of substantiating appropriate monitoring actions.