From now on the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) will issue food warnings sooner and in greater detail. That’s what spokesperson Benno Bruggink said on TV programme Kassa. The aim is to make the NVWA website serve as information centre where consumers can read about any food safety issues. The NVWA will also issue warnings via Twitter and Facebook.
Last year, the NVWA learned about 93 food safety issues. Kassa research showed that in 25 cases the NVWA didn’t post a warning until at least 24 hours afterwards and in 28 cases didn’t warn at all.
Spokesperson Benno Bruggink said on Kassa that the NVWA is not bound by law to warn the public. Manufacturers have to warn the NVWA about potential food safety issues and then inform the public and initiate a product recall.
Peanuts
Most reports concern substances that can cause an allergic reaction. Which can be dangerous for some. People with an allergy to peanuts for instance, can get critically ill if their food has been in contact with peanuts.
According to Bruggink, the NVWA will no longer wait for a manufacturer to warn the public. From now on the NVWA will issue a warning as soon as it has been notified by the manufacturer. However, Bruggink added that the NVWA will not do so in every case, for instance not when the use-by date of a product has expired.
This article has been borrowed from NOS.nl.