Portuguese authorities have cracked down on dodgy food supplements, olive oil, wine, and meat products in a range of operations over recent months.
In late July, the Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE) inspected food supplements sold in physical and online stores to ensure compliance with the regulations.
As a result of the action, 125 operators were inspected, leading to 12 administrative proceedings. The main offenses included the lack of translation into Portuguese of mandatory information and marketing supplements, which breached labeling and advertising rules.
150 kilograms of food supplements were also seized due to non-conformities in labeling, with a value of more than €4,000 ($4,300).
Olive oil, wine, mollusks, and rice are on the radar
ASAE’s southern unit has revealed findings from Operation Olive in Torres Novas at a vegetable oil extraction and refining facility.
Investigations resulted in opening a criminal case due to suspicion of fraud. Authorities seized 18,200 liters of cooking oil and 177,690 labels mentioning olive oil, suspecting that cooking oil was going to be marketed as olive oil.
Operations at the site were suspended because of poor hygiene and structural conditions. The seized items were more than €57,400 ($62,200).
In other work, ASAE’s central region looked at the sale of wines.
A total of 413 bottles of aguardente vínica velha, a type of wine spirit, were seized in an industrial unit as well as 2,025 other bottles and six rolls of labels. Also, 240 liters of wine were found at a retail establishment with irregular labeling. The value of the seizure amounted to €17,500, ($18,900) and two proceedings were opened.
Also in July, ASAE’s southern unit inspected a live bivalve mollusk purification and dispatch facility and a fishery product warehouse to verify compliance with storage and handling conditions.
Operations in Caldas da Rainha led to almost 2,500 kilograms of seafood, such as clams, cockles, crabs, and oysters, being confiscated.
Officials found the facility did not have the correct license or a veterinary control number, which the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV) issued. Blocked items were valued at more than €16,300 ($17,600), and operations at the implicated establishment were suspended.
ASAE’s northern unit was involved in checking a food shop in Porto.
A total of 845 units of foodstuffs, such as biscuits, lollipops, chewing gum, chocolates, and teas, were seized, which contained the unauthorized substance cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is considered a novel food in Europe and is being assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
A separate national operation focused on the packaging and labeling of rice.
Over 30 operators were inspected, and 7.1 tons of packaged rice were seized due to non-compliance, such as a lack of Portuguese labeling. The value of the seized items was €8,600 ($9,300).
Wine and meat in focus in June
In June, the ASAE’s northern unit inspected a wine production and bottling establishment in Santo Tirso.
This led to the seizure of 6,000 liters of wine and the initiation of administrative offense proceedings. The site was suspended due to a lack of cleanliness and hygiene. The value of the seizure was €5,000 ($5,400).
In the same month, ASAE’s southern unit launched an operation to combat fraudulent practices and illicit acts against public health.
The operation in Évora led to the suspension of an illegal cold store. The store used a false official veterinary control number and was alleged to have repackaged and relabeled meat products whose expiration date had passed.
Officials said products were removed from their original packaging, and labels were produced to record a fresh expiration date and a new batch, replacing existing labels on the repackaged products. Handling operations were carried out without veterinary control or traceability, putting public health at risk. Criminal proceedings were opened.
A total of 20 tons of meat products were seized, of which nine tons were identified as unfit for consumption and destroyed. The remaining products were sent to a licensed meat store. Other items found by inspectors included computer equipment, a packaging system, a label printing machine with tampered labels, and 12 kilograms of preservatives. The value of seized items was €85,000 ($92,100).
Finally, ASAE’s central unit undertook a control operation focused on producing pre-cooked meals and dishes.
The investigation in Coimbra revealed one company misleading consumers about a product’s composition. Findings resulted in a criminal case for fraud on goods and marketing for sale to the public, a product of inferior quality to what it is claimed to be. Action was also taken against the supplying company for the lack of an identification mark.
A total of 1.6 tons of pork products, worth €7,400 ($8,000), were seized.
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