The European Union maintains a comprehensive system of border controls to ensure that imported foods meet safety standards and comply with labelling requirements. Despite these measures, the illegal trade in prohibited food products remains an ongoing challenge, particularly when products are falsely labelled to conceal their true origin or composition.
A recent investigation in Italy highlighted the scale of the issue. As part of a monitoring program, the Local Health Authority Naples 1 Center conducted inspections of ethnic food retailers and identified a range of non-compliant products. Some items marketed and labelled as wheat- or soy-based snacks were found to be prohibited foods imported from China. The Italian labels contained false information, obscuring the products’ actual ingredients and composition.
The operation resulted in the seizure of tonnes of food products, including fish products and other difficult-to-identify foods of animal origin. Laboratory analysis revealed undeclared allergens in several products, creating a potential risk for consumers with food allergies.
The findings prompted Italy’s Directorate General for Food Safety to launch a coordinated national control program targeting illegal food imports. The case demonstrates the importance of effective surveillance, analytical testing and coordinated enforcement in detecting food fraud and identifying products that may pose risks to consumer health.
Reference: Spadafora et al. Global trade: is the European Union ready to manage the potential risks of ethnic food? Ital J Food Saf. 2026 Jun 23. DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2026.13800.
