French alcoholic beverages contain high level of ethyl carbamate

Issue Date 11.11.2015
Source of Information

Notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission

Food Product

French alcoholic beverages

Product Name and Description

Product name: Steinobstbrand - Kirsch
Place of origin: France
Manufacturer: Distillerie Paul Devoille
Packing size: (i) 500 ml per bottle and (ii) 700 ml per bottle
Lot no: L1400720

Reason For Issuing Alert

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batch of alcoholic beverages was found to contain ethyl carbamate at a level of 11.4 milligrams per litre. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the German wholesaler concerned has initiated a recall of the affected product and a small volume of the affected product has been imported into Hong Kong.

Ethyl carbamate is a contaminant naturally formed in fermented foods and alcoholic beverages during the fermentation process or during storage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethyl carbamate as Group 2A, i.e. probably carcinogenic to humans.

Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety

The CFS has contacted the importer concerned in Hong Kong as indicated in the notification of the RASFF, and learnt that the products concerned were still kept in its warehouse and did not enter the market.

The CFS has alerted the trade to the incident and instructed them to stop using or selling the affected product immediately should they have imported and still possess them.

Advice to the Trade

The trade should stop using or selling the affected product immediately should they have imported and still possess them.

Advice to Consumers

Stop consuming the affected batch of product if it was purchased.

Further Information

The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2015-11-11

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