"European consumers enjoy the highest food safety standards in the world,” said John Dalli, Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy. “The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed is a key tool as it allows risks to be identified and removed from the European market.”
Dalli said that the RASFF system reinforces consumer confidence in the food and feed safety system.
“In 2011, we dealt with a number of important crises such as the effects of the Fukushima nuclear incident, the dioxin and the E. coli crisis. The EU managed to tackle them and the lessons we all learnt will no doubt guide us to do even better in the future."
The report highlights the strengthening of safety checks at EU borders as one of the particular successes of the last year – with almost half of the notifications related to food and feed rejected at EU borders.
Results
The report noted that in 2011, 9157 notifications in RASFF related to non-compliances with EU food legislation were reported – of which 617 concerned serious risks.
The majority (5345) of the notifications were follow-ups rather than new notifications (3812).
Out of the 3812 new notifications: 3139 concerned food, 361 concerned feed and 312 concerned food contact materials.
Some of the most reported issues were aflatoxins in feed, dried fruits and nuts and migration of chemical substances from kitchen utensils, revealed the report.
Mitigating risks
The system has also helped respond to, and mitigate, several serious foodborne outbreaks in recent years such as dioxin and E. coli crises, said the EC.
In 2011 RASFF played a key role in managing two major food safety incidences: Fukushima and E. coli.
However, the Commission also highlighted a number of important lessons must be learned following the crisis in 2011:
Enhance RASFF with the launch of iRASFF – an online notification platform which will help RASFF work faster and more efficiently than ever.
• Review existing standard operating procedures for crisis management while allowing for sufficient flexibility.
• Revise rules on traceability to increase the speed and efficiency for tracing back dangerous products and withdrawing them from the market.
• Provide dedicated trainings on food-borne investigations and outbreak management as well as hygiene in primary production for major trading partners (through the EU Better training for safer food programme and in cooperation with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC)).
• Develop specific rules on seeds and sprout production.
• Improve coordination in crisis communication activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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