The European Union (EU) has issued a food alert classified as “serious” due to excessive levels of nitrates in fresh spinach of Spanish origin, a product present daily in the diet of many families.
In this specific case, the food alert concerns a shipment of spinach that, at first glance, seemed perfectly normal, but ended up revealing concentrations well above the limit considered safe by European authorities.
According to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), a recent notification was registered after anomalous nitrate values were detected in this vegetable.
Alert came from the Netherlands
According to Spanish newspaper El Correo, it was in the Netherlands that the problem was initially identified, when authorities analyzed fresh spinach from Spain and reported the situation to RASFF on 11 November.
The released report does not include details about the specific batch in question, but confirms that the suspected product has already been removed from the market, in accordance with food safety procedures.
Before this decision, several samples were subjected to laboratory analysis, which revealed a value of 7,900 mg/kg of nitrates, more than double the maximum limit allowed by European legislation, set at 3,500 mg/kg.
Nitrates: when excess is dangerous
Nitrates are naturally present in many fresh foods, especially green leafy vegetables, but they can also result from the use of fertilizers on agricultural crops.
Under normal conditions, its presence is considered tolerable, however very high concentrations may pose an increased risk to human health.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), linked to the United States government, emphasizes that the effects depend on the dose, duration and type of exposure to these substances.
Among the possible consequences of an excessive intake of nitrates, the ATSDR points out stomach problems, a greater likelihood of high blood pressure and an increased risk of certain heart diseases.
In situations of this type, European control mechanisms are activated to prevent potentially dangerous foods from continuing to circulate on the internal market.
When a Member State detects a relevant problem, as now happened with these spinachs of Spanish origin, it notifies the RASFF, which immediately alerts the other countries to adopt prevention or withdrawal measures.
This system of rapid information sharing allows products with levels of contamination above those permitted to be identified and blocked in a short space of time, reducing consumer exposure.
According to , and despite the suspicious batch having already been removed, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of following the recommendations of food safety authorities and maintaining basic hygiene precautions when preparing fresh vegetables.
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