Anfaco, the group that represents Spanish canners, wants to block Thai tuna producers from shipping to the EU market by discrediting Thailand’s health authorities. The group is urging the European Commission to overrule Thai-issued food safety certificates, after canned tuna from Thailand was rejected 22 times last year for failing to meet EU health standards. Without a Thai health certificate, tuna products from Thailand cannot enter the European market.
Thai canned tuna products from a few Thai canners have been experiencing problems involving the sterilization process, according to the EU rapid food alert system, and Anfaco says the problem should be addressed with “longer-term measures†that go beyond requiring technical audits by independent bodies or official inspections by the relevant authorities.
Anfaco believes the problems point to a “serious flaw†in the control procedures of Thai companies and that the country lacks a supervisory authority to monitor sterilization processes.
Meanwhile, tuna processors from the Thai Food Processors’ Association, issued a statement in November, saying they had already taken steps to reassure confidence in their products.
“These steps included a thorough review of all food safety HACCP records associated with canned tuna sterilization, and a review of systems used to cool product after sterilization. These reviews did not disclose any irregularities; confirming that these process steps are, and have always been, in compliance with international standards for safety and quality,†Thai tuna processors said in their statement.
Anfaco, Vigo - Spain
