%0 Journal Article
%T New border control system for food originating from third world countries
%A Matthias Heinzler
%A Doris Gerlach
%A Hubertus Brunn
%J Environmental Sciences Europe
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/2190-4715-23-14
%X From 2007 to 2009, a total of 1,552 food product samples of plant origin were tested for the presence of pesticide residues. Of these, 18% were found to violate maximum residue levels. Thus, the incidence of products from third world countries that do not meet statutory guidelines (EC) No. 396/2005 is approximately twice that of the average for foodstuffs from third world countries tested in other laboratories in Germany. In 10% of the non-compliant samples, the acute reference dose was exceeded by more than 100% and in a few by more than 1,000%.As a result of the 3-year experience with the "bottleneck control" system at Frankfurt/Main Airport, the Hesse Ministry of Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Consumer Protection has voiced its opinion in the authorisation directive that mandatory prior notification is essential for all non-animal food products imported into the European Union. Only a unified Europe-wide approach can eventually lead to success.The globalisation of world commerce is a process that permanently alters the living conditions of all human beings. Here in Europe, we meet with the ramifications of these changes on a daily basis. These include the international exchange of goods. Evaluation of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed shows that health safety problems which in recent years have become rare in Europe are more common when dealing with food products imported from third world countries. These include excessive levels of heavy metals, inadequate hygiene, unapproved veterinary pharmaceuticals in animal-derived foodstuffs or excessive levels of pesticides in fruits and vegetables. The Veterinary Border Inspection Post Hesse (TGSH) was created in 1993 with the opening of the inner-European market. This was necessary in order to provide protection for living animals arriving at Frankfurt/Main Airport as well as to control infectious diseases of animals and importation of animal-derived foodstuffs. On 1 January 2005, the TGSH became D
%U http://www.enveurope.com/content/23/1/14